Hope your day is filled with sunshine and fun things to do abound. It has been a while since I've visited the blog. Seems like I tend to get bogged down in every day living and by night the blogging brain cells are asleep. So, just a little update to let you know what is going on in our world and what we have in mind for the future.
Designing new products is high on the list, once we get past the busy bridal season. Not complaining - I love the busy season.
We are no longer on ebay due to the ever rising costs of doing business on their site. A customer called us that had conducted business with us on ebay and was elated to find that we are still in business. I assure you we are going strong! Our website is in the process of being updated - this may be a long process as the webmaster has many things going on. We are offering products on Etsy and Artfire. You may find us on these sites by searching for Delightfullywed.
Our newest work in progress is a spinoff of our main website - Favor of my Heart. We will be offering some unique and elegant favors on this site. It is definitely a work in progess, so if you visit please keep this in mind.
We will be putting samples in the Snowberry Creek Sample Boxes for anyone who wishes to sample some of our decorative soaps.
We are adding decorative bar soap favors to our line-up on the website. You may decide not to give them for favors, but to keep them for yourself. We have many new designs and sizes available. Now to get the pictures and get them posted! I keep a big dose of motivation and a swift kick in the rear to get me in gear!
I going to make an extra effort to post more on the blog and look for interesting places for weddings, honeymoons, and services offered in these spots. I will be on the lookout for any contests, giveaways or freebies for the brides as I know times are tight and we need to save where we can.
Showing posts with label weddings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weddings. Show all posts
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Rentals May Help Cut Costs
You’re planning the wedding of your dreams and the budget just went over the top. Some areas are going to have to be cut, but you can’t bear to do without any of your selections! What to do? Carefully review your plans – just to see if maybe, just maybe you can live without something. If the answer is no way! Then you could consider renting some of the items that are necessary to make your dream day come true.
There are many rental companies around. I would recommend comparing prices as some of them offer better bargains than others. Some offer delivery and pick up services for a fee. You may be able to negotiate the fees if you rent many items. You could ask if you will be allowed to pick the items up yourself and return them. This may be an option, if you have a large number of people to help you. You will need to appoint a reliable person to be in charge of this. You should not try to do this yourself, as you and the groom will not have time to deal with this.
Now to some of the items offered by rental companies:
Tents – There are a large variety of tents available in many sizes and styles. Tents for small gatherings to tents for a hundred or more, tents with sides and climate control, open-sided tents – there is a tent available for every need. If you are planning an outdoor event, a tent may be valuable to you as you will not have to worry about the weather ruining your perfect day. A tent is like a giant blank backdrop just waiting to be brought to life with your decorations, ideas and style. Imagine theatrical lighting, stages, dance floors, tables, chairs, linens and china – your personal touch will create a masterpiece. Tents can be transformed into the most elegant of affairs to a western hoedown with hay, denim table clothes and chairs with bandana sashes. Choose a rental place that visits the venue to help you determine which is best for you. If you have the funds in your budget, many of them offer the service of setting up the tent and decorating it for you.
Tables, chairs, linens and china are all available at most of the rental places. Unless you have access to a large number of these items, I would highly recommend renting them. It is much more cost effective to rent than to purchase them and never use them again.
Dance floors and stages are available in a variety of sizes and designs. If you are hiring a disc jockey you may want to check with that company as they also offer dance floors. I would definitely do a price comparison. With some DJ services, they pass a savings to you for purchasing more services. They may be willing to add a dance floor, a frozen drink machine or a karaoke machine – or perhaps offer you a good discount if you purchase these services from them. The best part of getting these items from the DJ service is – they bring the items with them, set them up, take them down and you don’t have to mess with it. But, I would check with the particular service to make sure they offer this as DJ services have different conditions.
Beverage Services – There are a wide array of beverage items available in different sizes and styles. Urns, coffeemakers, cream pitchers, sugar bowls, punch bowls, ladles, water pitchers, wine carafes, tea service sets, 5 gallon hot/cold dispensers and tabletop or floor standing wine coolers may all be found at rental stores. If you need a cocktail bar or cart for your special event, check the rental companies as there are different styles and sizes available. These bars and carts do not include the liquor, setups or bartender.
Reception - Some other items that you may want to consider renting rather than purchasing: champagne fountains, chocolate fountains, ice carving & display bars, cake plateaus, cocktail bars & carts, outdoor lighting, air conditioners or heaters for tents, china, flatware, glassware, serving utensils, serving trays and bowls. Frozen drink machines, dance floors, stages, karaoke machines are available at rental companies and at most DJ services.
Decorations - Arches, chuppahs, candelabras, columns, and votive candles are available as rentals. You may want to comparison shop at your florist for some of these items. Many times people do not think about a florist having rental items, but many of them do and this may be your best bet for some of the items you need.
Cooking - If you need large grills that will hold 40 steaks or 30 chicken halves, look to the rental companies. Many sizes and styles are available from rotisseries, propane grills - to smokers on trailers. You may have to do a bit of calling to find what you need but better than ending up purchasing something you don’t need all the time. Ask about chafing dishes, propane burners/fish cookers and pots, griddles, heat lamps, hot plates and electric roasters.
I know that I haven’t covered all items that are available from rental companies. Check with your local rental companies, florists, and dj's - seek reputable companies - compare prices. There are many ways to shave a bit off of your budget. If you are planning a DIY wedding or looking for a way to cut some expense from your budget this may be an option for you.
There are many rental companies around. I would recommend comparing prices as some of them offer better bargains than others. Some offer delivery and pick up services for a fee. You may be able to negotiate the fees if you rent many items. You could ask if you will be allowed to pick the items up yourself and return them. This may be an option, if you have a large number of people to help you. You will need to appoint a reliable person to be in charge of this. You should not try to do this yourself, as you and the groom will not have time to deal with this.
Now to some of the items offered by rental companies:
Tents – There are a large variety of tents available in many sizes and styles. Tents for small gatherings to tents for a hundred or more, tents with sides and climate control, open-sided tents – there is a tent available for every need. If you are planning an outdoor event, a tent may be valuable to you as you will not have to worry about the weather ruining your perfect day. A tent is like a giant blank backdrop just waiting to be brought to life with your decorations, ideas and style. Imagine theatrical lighting, stages, dance floors, tables, chairs, linens and china – your personal touch will create a masterpiece. Tents can be transformed into the most elegant of affairs to a western hoedown with hay, denim table clothes and chairs with bandana sashes. Choose a rental place that visits the venue to help you determine which is best for you. If you have the funds in your budget, many of them offer the service of setting up the tent and decorating it for you.
Tables, chairs, linens and china are all available at most of the rental places. Unless you have access to a large number of these items, I would highly recommend renting them. It is much more cost effective to rent than to purchase them and never use them again.
Dance floors and stages are available in a variety of sizes and designs. If you are hiring a disc jockey you may want to check with that company as they also offer dance floors. I would definitely do a price comparison. With some DJ services, they pass a savings to you for purchasing more services. They may be willing to add a dance floor, a frozen drink machine or a karaoke machine – or perhaps offer you a good discount if you purchase these services from them. The best part of getting these items from the DJ service is – they bring the items with them, set them up, take them down and you don’t have to mess with it. But, I would check with the particular service to make sure they offer this as DJ services have different conditions.
Beverage Services – There are a wide array of beverage items available in different sizes and styles. Urns, coffeemakers, cream pitchers, sugar bowls, punch bowls, ladles, water pitchers, wine carafes, tea service sets, 5 gallon hot/cold dispensers and tabletop or floor standing wine coolers may all be found at rental stores. If you need a cocktail bar or cart for your special event, check the rental companies as there are different styles and sizes available. These bars and carts do not include the liquor, setups or bartender.
Reception - Some other items that you may want to consider renting rather than purchasing: champagne fountains, chocolate fountains, ice carving & display bars, cake plateaus, cocktail bars & carts, outdoor lighting, air conditioners or heaters for tents, china, flatware, glassware, serving utensils, serving trays and bowls. Frozen drink machines, dance floors, stages, karaoke machines are available at rental companies and at most DJ services.
Decorations - Arches, chuppahs, candelabras, columns, and votive candles are available as rentals. You may want to comparison shop at your florist for some of these items. Many times people do not think about a florist having rental items, but many of them do and this may be your best bet for some of the items you need.
Cooking - If you need large grills that will hold 40 steaks or 30 chicken halves, look to the rental companies. Many sizes and styles are available from rotisseries, propane grills - to smokers on trailers. You may have to do a bit of calling to find what you need but better than ending up purchasing something you don’t need all the time. Ask about chafing dishes, propane burners/fish cookers and pots, griddles, heat lamps, hot plates and electric roasters.
I know that I haven’t covered all items that are available from rental companies. Check with your local rental companies, florists, and dj's - seek reputable companies - compare prices. There are many ways to shave a bit off of your budget. If you are planning a DIY wedding or looking for a way to cut some expense from your budget this may be an option for you.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Free Wedding Photography Contest
We are always looking for contests to pass along to our couples. This one is being offered by Misha Nikole Photography of Grand Praire, TX.
Misha Nikole Photography is looking for deserving couples to award their prize of free photography for your wedding. They are looking for couples with a great love story and incredible style.
To enter this contest follow this link: Misha Nikole Photography or go to www.mishanikole.com, click on "The Wedding" and enter your information in the check availbility spaces.
The wedding ceremony must be before April 25, 2009.
You must submit to Misha Nikole:
picture of bride & groom
reason why you should be selected
your wedding details
Misha Nickole Photography
Grand Prairie, TX
info@mishanikole.com
817-966-2690
We are not affiliated with Misha Nikole nor or we endorsing them. We are simply passing along an availble contest to you. It is up to you to decide if it is legit and if you want to enter. Be sure to carefully check their website for the official rules and regulations.
We will be looking for more contests, discounts and savings for you in the future.
Misha Nikole Photography is looking for deserving couples to award their prize of free photography for your wedding. They are looking for couples with a great love story and incredible style.
To enter this contest follow this link: Misha Nikole Photography or go to www.mishanikole.com, click on "The Wedding" and enter your information in the check availbility spaces.
The wedding ceremony must be before April 25, 2009.
You must submit to Misha Nikole:
picture of bride & groom
reason why you should be selected
your wedding details
Misha Nickole Photography
Grand Prairie, TX
info@mishanikole.com
817-966-2690
We are not affiliated with Misha Nikole nor or we endorsing them. We are simply passing along an availble contest to you. It is up to you to decide if it is legit and if you want to enter. Be sure to carefully check their website for the official rules and regulations.
We will be looking for more contests, discounts and savings for you in the future.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
DIY Wedding - It is Possible
In these tough economic times, many brides are opting for a DIY (do-it-yourself) wedding. This is certainly a money-saving option for many brides. A wedding planner is wonderful, if you have the available funds. Many people do not or opt to spend the funds on a different area of the weeding or on a honeymoon. If you decide to go with a DIY wedding, you need to get organized. Organization is the key to having a wedding flow smoothly. To get organized, buy yourself a wedding planner book or make one yourself. If you need guidelines, research on the internet or check out a book from your local library. Use all of the free resources available in order to trim your budget.
Decisions, decisions….now is the time to decide exactly what you want your wedding to be and make choices. Decide what type of wedding you prefer: traditional, contemporary, destination, or themed. Do you have your heart set on getting married at a certain venue? Is it within your budget or do you need to find another place that will work. You may want to consider getting married on a day other than Saturday as many venues have lower prices for other days of the week. Or you may change the time of your wedding from evening to afternoon or perhaps late morning. If you are considering a destination wedding, you may want to check on the prices and consider having your wedding in the off-season. For example, a summer beach wedding will cost more than a fall or winter beach wedding. If you are planning a destination wedding, you will need to work with someone from the area to help you make arrangements for your wedding. You probably cannot take care of all of the details of a destination wedding from home; however you can take care of a lot of them.
If you are not having a wedding coordinator then you need to appoint a close friend or family member to be in charge of coordinating your wedding. As the bride, you will not have time to be overseeing last minute details the day of the wedding. You will need someone to make sure everyone is where they should be, the appropriate music is playing, the flowers are in the correct spot, oversee the delivery of the cake, etc. You need help, as the bride should have time to enjoy and savor being a bride on her wedding day.
You should write down all of your wants, wishes and desires along with the costs of each. This will help you to decide where you can trim your budget, what is most important to you and if you can eliminate something all together.
Make the following categories in your wedding planner booklet:
Budget – in this section write down the allotted funds for each of your categories. Decide which is most important to you. If you love real flowers and cannot live without them, then this is one of the most important areas of your wedding and you should allot enough funds to cover it. Maybe the venue is the most important to you or having a DJ or band at the reception.
Guest List – Write out your total guests list then see if you can trim it. The more people you invite the most it costs. So, eliminate people you haven’t seen in several years or people you don’t maintain close contact.
Invitations – Buying invitations online or at your local discount store and print them yourself will save quite a bit. Maybe you don’t have a printer that will do the task or don’t feel comfortable doing it – chances are I’ll bet you know someone who will be willing to help you.
Venue – There are so many venues to choose from and there are many variances in prices. Now is the time to decide – inside or outside; or maybe you want the ceremony inside and the reception inside. Do you want both at the same location? Venue options: Your church, a college chapel, lodge, state park, pavilion on the lake, field, barn, park, beach, a friend or family member’s yard, country club, hotel or convention center ballroom, garden, river pavilion, ranch, arena, mountain overlook or top, castle, plantation, farm…Your imagination is the limit, there are many places to get married. Pick one that holds a special meaning for you and your fiancée or some place that will accommodate the type of wedding you want.
Dress – Looking for a dress can be a daunting task. Look through some magazine to find a style that appeals to you. There are many places that offer discounts on wedding dresses. One national chain bridal store offers $99.00 dresses. Another option is looking online. If you go to some bridal stores, find a dress you like and determine the size – then go online to seek it at a lower price. There are several auction sites that sell wedding accessories, dresses, supplies, etc. online.
Attendants – How many attendants do you want? The more you choose, the more flowers you will need, etc. Bridesmaid and Maid of Honor dresses can be found many places. You can look at that national chain store I was talking about. They have many reasonable dresses but you can look at some department stores. Depends on what type of dress you have in mind. If you are looking for tea-length dresses, you will have a good selection at many department stores. Again, you can look at the stores – determine the style and size then shop online. Allow ample time for shipping – don’t wait until the last minute. I would choose a reputable person and if I chose to deal with someone from an auction site, I would make sure they have excellent feedback.
If the men in the wedding party are wearing tux's I would recommend renting them locally.
Are you planning on Jr. bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girl, candlelighters, ushers, etc. This is the place to list them and any costs that you will incur connect with them.
Flowers – Buy flowers wholesale and enlist family and friends to make the bouquets, boutonnieres and arrangements. If you want fresh, be prepared to pay more. Use fresh flowers that are in-season and readily available in your area. If you can live with artificial flowers and don’t want to make the bouquets & arrangements– shop around on the internet. There are lots of bargains out there for the savvy shopper. Get your family and friends to help you search online for places that have the type of flowers you want. You may be able to use some of the arrangements from the ceremony at the reception.
Officiant – Your local minister may marry you for a small fee. Maybe a family member is a minister or wedding officiant. Find someone that you and your fiancée can agree upon. If you are having a destination wedding you will have to work with someone from that area to arrange the details of your wedding for you.
Reception – Do you want to serve a meal, finger foods, or cake and punch, only? If you plan to serve a meal, do you want it catered or do you have a friend or family member that can be in charge of the food? Do you have tables and chairs or do you need to rent them? Many places rent chairs for $2-$3 each and charge a setup fee and a pickup fee. You can rent tables, chairs, tents, etc. If you hire a caterer, are they bringing the tableware or are you responsible? If you opt for finger foods, you or a family member may prepare them ahead and freeze them. Sam’s Club, Costco, etc. have many appetizers available. If you decide to take care of the food yourselves instead of hiring a caterer or using venue with a food service, someone will need to be assigned to oversee the details. If you go this option, I would rent rather than buy any items that I could.
Cake – Do you want a small, medium or large cake? Do you plan to hire someone to bake the cake, contact a bakery, or do you have a friend or family member that bakes cakes. Are you planning to have a groom’s cake? Some people opt to not have a large cake. They have small 2-tiered cakes on each table, using them as centerpieces and eliminating the cost of flowers for each table. If you decide to go with a larger wedding cake, shop around. The style and size of cake will determine the cost. When you receive your RSVP’s then you can decide the size of the cake. If you are having a meal, snack foods, appetizers, finger foods and serving liquor then you will not need as much cake as you would if you are serving cake and punch only.
Liquor – Do you plan to serve liquor at your wedding? This can be a budget eater but many people want to server liquor. You need to determine if the venue you have chosen will allow liquor. If so, do they provide the liquor, are you allowed to bring your own in, can you have a margarita machine, etc. Who is responsible for the set-ups – glasses, ice, sodas, etc. Do the provide a bartender or do you need to make arrangements for someone to tend the bar? If you need to reduce costs, choose a venue that you can bring your own liquor, set-ups and your own bartender. This is the most cost effective way. Limit the alcoholic selections to what you think most of your guests will prefer. These are your friends and family members so you should be able to determine what will most likely be in the highest demand.
Now, for entertainment at the reception – do you want music? If you decide on a DJ, check around, the prices vary drastically. The best deal on DJ services I have found is at DJ Connection in Tulsa, OK. They have many DJ’s and travel to many states. I know they serve the AR, TX, OK area and may have other locations as well. You are not limited to 2 hours, they will play the music for the wedding ceremony and the reception, have margarita machines and karaoke machine for rent. They are professional and willing to work with you on making your music selections. Look for them at http://www.djconnectiontulsa.com/. If you don’t want to allocate funds for a DJ, maybe a family member or friend will be able be in charge of music for your reception.
If you are having a western-themed wedding with an outside venue you could have a couple of places set up for the guests to play horseshoes, a steer head anchored in a hay bale for roping, stick horses for the kiddies, etc.
Favors – If you want favors, there are many that you can make yourself. If you don’t want to or don’t have the time – search around the internet or drop by our website. Buy your favors bulk, then have a party with your friends to assemble them. There are many affordable favors and you can find some for any budget.
Miscellaneous - This section is for items that don't fit any other place. Anything that costs you needs to be listed, along with the price.
You may want a unity candle, a sand ceremony, special glasses for the toast, garter, pillow for the ring bearer, flower girl baskets, rice bags, guest book, etc.
These are a few of the areas I wanted to cover today. I’ll be posting other thoughts along the way. Feel free to add your comments or suggestions to this post.
Decisions, decisions….now is the time to decide exactly what you want your wedding to be and make choices. Decide what type of wedding you prefer: traditional, contemporary, destination, or themed. Do you have your heart set on getting married at a certain venue? Is it within your budget or do you need to find another place that will work. You may want to consider getting married on a day other than Saturday as many venues have lower prices for other days of the week. Or you may change the time of your wedding from evening to afternoon or perhaps late morning. If you are considering a destination wedding, you may want to check on the prices and consider having your wedding in the off-season. For example, a summer beach wedding will cost more than a fall or winter beach wedding. If you are planning a destination wedding, you will need to work with someone from the area to help you make arrangements for your wedding. You probably cannot take care of all of the details of a destination wedding from home; however you can take care of a lot of them.
If you are not having a wedding coordinator then you need to appoint a close friend or family member to be in charge of coordinating your wedding. As the bride, you will not have time to be overseeing last minute details the day of the wedding. You will need someone to make sure everyone is where they should be, the appropriate music is playing, the flowers are in the correct spot, oversee the delivery of the cake, etc. You need help, as the bride should have time to enjoy and savor being a bride on her wedding day.
You should write down all of your wants, wishes and desires along with the costs of each. This will help you to decide where you can trim your budget, what is most important to you and if you can eliminate something all together.
Make the following categories in your wedding planner booklet:
Budget – in this section write down the allotted funds for each of your categories. Decide which is most important to you. If you love real flowers and cannot live without them, then this is one of the most important areas of your wedding and you should allot enough funds to cover it. Maybe the venue is the most important to you or having a DJ or band at the reception.
Guest List – Write out your total guests list then see if you can trim it. The more people you invite the most it costs. So, eliminate people you haven’t seen in several years or people you don’t maintain close contact.
Invitations – Buying invitations online or at your local discount store and print them yourself will save quite a bit. Maybe you don’t have a printer that will do the task or don’t feel comfortable doing it – chances are I’ll bet you know someone who will be willing to help you.
Venue – There are so many venues to choose from and there are many variances in prices. Now is the time to decide – inside or outside; or maybe you want the ceremony inside and the reception inside. Do you want both at the same location? Venue options: Your church, a college chapel, lodge, state park, pavilion on the lake, field, barn, park, beach, a friend or family member’s yard, country club, hotel or convention center ballroom, garden, river pavilion, ranch, arena, mountain overlook or top, castle, plantation, farm…Your imagination is the limit, there are many places to get married. Pick one that holds a special meaning for you and your fiancée or some place that will accommodate the type of wedding you want.
Dress – Looking for a dress can be a daunting task. Look through some magazine to find a style that appeals to you. There are many places that offer discounts on wedding dresses. One national chain bridal store offers $99.00 dresses. Another option is looking online. If you go to some bridal stores, find a dress you like and determine the size – then go online to seek it at a lower price. There are several auction sites that sell wedding accessories, dresses, supplies, etc. online.
Attendants – How many attendants do you want? The more you choose, the more flowers you will need, etc. Bridesmaid and Maid of Honor dresses can be found many places. You can look at that national chain store I was talking about. They have many reasonable dresses but you can look at some department stores. Depends on what type of dress you have in mind. If you are looking for tea-length dresses, you will have a good selection at many department stores. Again, you can look at the stores – determine the style and size then shop online. Allow ample time for shipping – don’t wait until the last minute. I would choose a reputable person and if I chose to deal with someone from an auction site, I would make sure they have excellent feedback.
If the men in the wedding party are wearing tux's I would recommend renting them locally.
Are you planning on Jr. bridesmaids, ring bearer, flower girl, candlelighters, ushers, etc. This is the place to list them and any costs that you will incur connect with them.
Flowers – Buy flowers wholesale and enlist family and friends to make the bouquets, boutonnieres and arrangements. If you want fresh, be prepared to pay more. Use fresh flowers that are in-season and readily available in your area. If you can live with artificial flowers and don’t want to make the bouquets & arrangements– shop around on the internet. There are lots of bargains out there for the savvy shopper. Get your family and friends to help you search online for places that have the type of flowers you want. You may be able to use some of the arrangements from the ceremony at the reception.
Officiant – Your local minister may marry you for a small fee. Maybe a family member is a minister or wedding officiant. Find someone that you and your fiancée can agree upon. If you are having a destination wedding you will have to work with someone from that area to arrange the details of your wedding for you.
Reception – Do you want to serve a meal, finger foods, or cake and punch, only? If you plan to serve a meal, do you want it catered or do you have a friend or family member that can be in charge of the food? Do you have tables and chairs or do you need to rent them? Many places rent chairs for $2-$3 each and charge a setup fee and a pickup fee. You can rent tables, chairs, tents, etc. If you hire a caterer, are they bringing the tableware or are you responsible? If you opt for finger foods, you or a family member may prepare them ahead and freeze them. Sam’s Club, Costco, etc. have many appetizers available. If you decide to take care of the food yourselves instead of hiring a caterer or using venue with a food service, someone will need to be assigned to oversee the details. If you go this option, I would rent rather than buy any items that I could.
Cake – Do you want a small, medium or large cake? Do you plan to hire someone to bake the cake, contact a bakery, or do you have a friend or family member that bakes cakes. Are you planning to have a groom’s cake? Some people opt to not have a large cake. They have small 2-tiered cakes on each table, using them as centerpieces and eliminating the cost of flowers for each table. If you decide to go with a larger wedding cake, shop around. The style and size of cake will determine the cost. When you receive your RSVP’s then you can decide the size of the cake. If you are having a meal, snack foods, appetizers, finger foods and serving liquor then you will not need as much cake as you would if you are serving cake and punch only.
Liquor – Do you plan to serve liquor at your wedding? This can be a budget eater but many people want to server liquor. You need to determine if the venue you have chosen will allow liquor. If so, do they provide the liquor, are you allowed to bring your own in, can you have a margarita machine, etc. Who is responsible for the set-ups – glasses, ice, sodas, etc. Do the provide a bartender or do you need to make arrangements for someone to tend the bar? If you need to reduce costs, choose a venue that you can bring your own liquor, set-ups and your own bartender. This is the most cost effective way. Limit the alcoholic selections to what you think most of your guests will prefer. These are your friends and family members so you should be able to determine what will most likely be in the highest demand.
Now, for entertainment at the reception – do you want music? If you decide on a DJ, check around, the prices vary drastically. The best deal on DJ services I have found is at DJ Connection in Tulsa, OK. They have many DJ’s and travel to many states. I know they serve the AR, TX, OK area and may have other locations as well. You are not limited to 2 hours, they will play the music for the wedding ceremony and the reception, have margarita machines and karaoke machine for rent. They are professional and willing to work with you on making your music selections. Look for them at http://www.djconnectiontulsa.com/. If you don’t want to allocate funds for a DJ, maybe a family member or friend will be able be in charge of music for your reception.
If you are having a western-themed wedding with an outside venue you could have a couple of places set up for the guests to play horseshoes, a steer head anchored in a hay bale for roping, stick horses for the kiddies, etc.
Favors – If you want favors, there are many that you can make yourself. If you don’t want to or don’t have the time – search around the internet or drop by our website. Buy your favors bulk, then have a party with your friends to assemble them. There are many affordable favors and you can find some for any budget.
Miscellaneous - This section is for items that don't fit any other place. Anything that costs you needs to be listed, along with the price.
You may want a unity candle, a sand ceremony, special glasses for the toast, garter, pillow for the ring bearer, flower girl baskets, rice bags, guest book, etc.
These are a few of the areas I wanted to cover today. I’ll be posting other thoughts along the way. Feel free to add your comments or suggestions to this post.
Monday, October 13, 2008
25 Things to Consider Before Saying "I Do"
This blog was written by a friend of mine Kim, of Overall Beauty. She is a wonderful lady and has some words of wisdom for people contemplating marriage.
With the high cost of weddings today, and the even higher cost of divorce, sometimes not thinking marriage through all the way is the worst thing you can do. It can be heart breaking if the bride or groom gets cold feet and calls off the wedding, but is doing so such a bad thing? Everyone needs a ‘before you get married' list to make sure you are truly ready for the life of holy matrimony.
Questions to ask yourself:
1. Am I in love with the idea of marriage, or am I in love with the (wo)man? Am I just looking at the excitement of everything that it takes to put a wedding together, and not focusing on anything beyond the wedding day?
2. Am I having second thoughts before I even set the date, or even a month before the wedding?
3. Am I ready to be faithful and true to only one person for the rest of my life?
4. How honest am I with myself? What are my true feelings for my significant other?
5. If wedding plans are already in motion, am I just going along with them not for fear of hurting someone's feelings, or making them feel like they were used for their money, or as if their money was wasted, even though I want to call the whole thing off?
6. Am I emotionally, physically, and mentally prepared for all aspects of marriage?
7. Am I ready to say ‘I do' without any doubts that I am doing the right thing?
8. If need be, am I willing to pack up my whole life and move away from friends and family if asked?
9. Am I willing to leave my friends behind for my husband/wife or will my friends always come first?
10. Is my significant other accepted by my family? If not, why? Does it bother me if they don't? Am I marrying him/her just to anger my family?
11. Am I willing to wait longer than I already have to make sure that I am really ready to be married to this person, or do I just want to get it over with?
12. Have we had the important talks about children, and families? Do either of us have any debts, and who's responsibility do they become once we are married?
13. Do we have the same expectations of marriage?
14. Do I like the way my significant other is around children, will they make the kind of parent I want for our children?
15. Do you see yourself married to this person for 5, 10, 25, 50 years or more?
16. If I am pregnant, am I just getting married because you feel it is the best thing to do for the baby? Am I willing to wait until after the child is born to make sure that I am marrying out of love and not a sense of duty?
17. Have we talked with our religious leaders? Have we made any decisions as to what faith to practice and with which we will raise our children?
18. If we are not currently living together, am I willing to give up my home to move into his/hers, or to give up the space in my home for him/her to move in with me?
19. If I am a virgin, do I really understand what will happen on my wedding night? Am I ready to take that step with this man/woman?
20. Am I getting married just to keep my significant other in my life? Will they leave if I don't marry them whether I am ready to do so or not?
21. Do I see myself waking up next to him or her every morning? Does the thought put a smile on my face?
22. Do I trust my fiancé with my life, my heart, and my soul?
23. Do I look forward to life after my wedding with a smile on my face, or do I feel unsure and fearful?
24. Am I getting married because all of my friends are married and I feel left out?
25. Can I imagine my life without this person by my side helping me through it?
These are not cold unfeeling questions you must ask yourself; these are questions you need to ask yourself to make sure in your heart that s/he is the one. These questions will potentially save you and everyone involved a lot of pain and heartbreak. It may be difficult to be adult enough to stop the wedding before the date, but it will be a huge emotional disaster (and even more costly) to decide just days after the wedding that you made the biggest mistake of your life.
You really need to ask yourself if you are getting married for all the right reasons. Never allow yourself to be pushed into getting married if you are not emotionally ready to give all of yourself to that person. You can not just go along with marriage. Waiting months, days, or even years to get married is never as heartbreaking as realizing after the fact that you just blew it. If the person you love is not willing to wait, maybe they are not the right person for you.
Talk to your future spouse about your feelings. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, this could be a warning sign for problems ahead. An honest open relationship is the foundation of a happy marriage. If you do not feel you can talk to him/her about your doubts, if they tell you it's nothing to worry about, if they react badly, or do not respect your feelings, then you definitely should consider postponing or canceling your wedding.
Sit down and write out all of the reasons you love him/her, your hopes, your dreams, your fears, your doubts, and your dislikes. Listen to your heart and pray about it. Talk about it with a trusted friend or someone who is willing to help you see both sides of the question. Make sure you are able to talk freely with this person to see if marriage is really the way to go.
If you decide after answering all of these questions that you just have a case of cold feet and your life as you know it is not ending, go ahead and plan the wedding. Get yourself prepared for the biggest day of your life.
Copyright 2008 Kim Snyder, owner Overall Beauty Minerals Home of Magic Lash Eyelash Enhancer! Visit her today at Overall Beauty. Sign up today for a free beauty ebook and see the latest in mineral makeup and natural skincare and so much more.
With the high cost of weddings today, and the even higher cost of divorce, sometimes not thinking marriage through all the way is the worst thing you can do. It can be heart breaking if the bride or groom gets cold feet and calls off the wedding, but is doing so such a bad thing? Everyone needs a ‘before you get married' list to make sure you are truly ready for the life of holy matrimony.
Questions to ask yourself:
1. Am I in love with the idea of marriage, or am I in love with the (wo)man? Am I just looking at the excitement of everything that it takes to put a wedding together, and not focusing on anything beyond the wedding day?
2. Am I having second thoughts before I even set the date, or even a month before the wedding?
3. Am I ready to be faithful and true to only one person for the rest of my life?
4. How honest am I with myself? What are my true feelings for my significant other?
5. If wedding plans are already in motion, am I just going along with them not for fear of hurting someone's feelings, or making them feel like they were used for their money, or as if their money was wasted, even though I want to call the whole thing off?
6. Am I emotionally, physically, and mentally prepared for all aspects of marriage?
7. Am I ready to say ‘I do' without any doubts that I am doing the right thing?
8. If need be, am I willing to pack up my whole life and move away from friends and family if asked?
9. Am I willing to leave my friends behind for my husband/wife or will my friends always come first?
10. Is my significant other accepted by my family? If not, why? Does it bother me if they don't? Am I marrying him/her just to anger my family?
11. Am I willing to wait longer than I already have to make sure that I am really ready to be married to this person, or do I just want to get it over with?
12. Have we had the important talks about children, and families? Do either of us have any debts, and who's responsibility do they become once we are married?
13. Do we have the same expectations of marriage?
14. Do I like the way my significant other is around children, will they make the kind of parent I want for our children?
15. Do you see yourself married to this person for 5, 10, 25, 50 years or more?
16. If I am pregnant, am I just getting married because you feel it is the best thing to do for the baby? Am I willing to wait until after the child is born to make sure that I am marrying out of love and not a sense of duty?
17. Have we talked with our religious leaders? Have we made any decisions as to what faith to practice and with which we will raise our children?
18. If we are not currently living together, am I willing to give up my home to move into his/hers, or to give up the space in my home for him/her to move in with me?
19. If I am a virgin, do I really understand what will happen on my wedding night? Am I ready to take that step with this man/woman?
20. Am I getting married just to keep my significant other in my life? Will they leave if I don't marry them whether I am ready to do so or not?
21. Do I see myself waking up next to him or her every morning? Does the thought put a smile on my face?
22. Do I trust my fiancé with my life, my heart, and my soul?
23. Do I look forward to life after my wedding with a smile on my face, or do I feel unsure and fearful?
24. Am I getting married because all of my friends are married and I feel left out?
25. Can I imagine my life without this person by my side helping me through it?
These are not cold unfeeling questions you must ask yourself; these are questions you need to ask yourself to make sure in your heart that s/he is the one. These questions will potentially save you and everyone involved a lot of pain and heartbreak. It may be difficult to be adult enough to stop the wedding before the date, but it will be a huge emotional disaster (and even more costly) to decide just days after the wedding that you made the biggest mistake of your life.
You really need to ask yourself if you are getting married for all the right reasons. Never allow yourself to be pushed into getting married if you are not emotionally ready to give all of yourself to that person. You can not just go along with marriage. Waiting months, days, or even years to get married is never as heartbreaking as realizing after the fact that you just blew it. If the person you love is not willing to wait, maybe they are not the right person for you.
Talk to your future spouse about your feelings. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, this could be a warning sign for problems ahead. An honest open relationship is the foundation of a happy marriage. If you do not feel you can talk to him/her about your doubts, if they tell you it's nothing to worry about, if they react badly, or do not respect your feelings, then you definitely should consider postponing or canceling your wedding.
Sit down and write out all of the reasons you love him/her, your hopes, your dreams, your fears, your doubts, and your dislikes. Listen to your heart and pray about it. Talk about it with a trusted friend or someone who is willing to help you see both sides of the question. Make sure you are able to talk freely with this person to see if marriage is really the way to go.
If you decide after answering all of these questions that you just have a case of cold feet and your life as you know it is not ending, go ahead and plan the wedding. Get yourself prepared for the biggest day of your life.
Copyright 2008 Kim Snyder, owner Overall Beauty Minerals Home of Magic Lash Eyelash Enhancer! Visit her today at Overall Beauty. Sign up today for a free beauty ebook and see the latest in mineral makeup and natural skincare and so much more.
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