Accessories For Your Wedding

Wedding Guest Book

Traditionally, a guest book is often use to keep record of the wedding guests attendance on your wedding day. After the wedding, bride will keep the book as a keepsake of her wedding. Today, bride gets creative with their guest book. One alternative idea is to take a polaroid picture of each guests at the entrance table and have them to write messages for the loving bride and groom on the book. After the wedding, the printed pictures will then be placed in the guest book on top of each guest's personal message.

Selecting your guestbook

A wedding guest book and a matching pen holder usually sold separately. If you plan on getting the matching pen stand, you may save a bundle by purchasing it as a set.

There are different types of wedding guest books to choose from, the most popular one is Satin Guestbook. For a bride who likes think out of the box, the personalized platter guestbook has been increasingly popular.

Silver Plated Guest books

Personalized platter Guestbook

Photo Frame guest book

Instant Photo guest book

Placing your guest book.

Your guest book table is the first place your guests will stop by when they entere your reception area, decorate it with scented fresh flower arrangement or flower petals to bring the positive energy to your guests. Put some candles to create the warmth atmosphere into the room.

If you have many guests at your wedding, it's recommended that you prepare enough pens for people to fill out your guest book or sign your photo mat to avoid a long queue. Place your wedding guest book , pen and signature photo mat strategically where people can either fill out the guest book or sign your photo mat at the same time.

Wedding Things For Less

These are my favorite places to get inexpensive things for wedding:

Bridesmaids Gown
Jessica McClintock Outlet - save up to 75% off.
Nordstrom Rack - save up to 70% off.
BCBG Outlet SALE rack

DIY Wedding Favors
papermart.com - Organza pouches,wine bags, favor boxes, chinese take out boxes, paper bags at wholesale prices.
sfherb.com - Sells all kinds of potpourri.

Reception Decorations
save-on-crafts.com - Fabrics, flower vases, candles, silk flowers.
orientaltrading.com - Best prices for paper umbrella/parasols
asianideas.com - Offers wide variety of parasols
luminarias.com - heat-proof paper bags for luminarias
ikea.com - candles, candle holders, natural stones, picture frames, vases

Catering stuff
Smart & Final - Fancy plastic plates, utensils, mugs, wine glasses, etc.
Costco - Also a great place to buy alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages .

Wedding Themes

Do you want a fairy tale wedding? Elegant wedding? Beach wedding? Rusty warm fall wedding? White wintery wedding?, Or a Modern Fusion wedding?

Fairy Tale Wedding
Since you were a little girl, you've dreamed of becoming a beautiful princess and being rescued from a castle by a charming prince. Now, here comes the time to make your fairy tale wedding comes true and live happily ever after.
Color: White, Silver
Flowers: Roses, Hydrangea, Viburnum
Wedding favors: Carriage candle , Happily Ever After Card Holder


Spring Wedding
Spring wedding is about incorporating beautiful colors of nature in your wedding. This is the season when you get to choose almost all kinds of flowers. Elements for spring weddings are pastel colors flowers. butterflies, and things that bring the freshness into the room such as fresh fruits or scented candles.
Colors: Light Blue, Lavender, Light Pink, Light Yellow, Lilac
Flowers: Peonies, Hydrangea, Freesias, Viburnum, Ranunculus, sweetpeas
Spring Wedding Favors: candle wedding favors, garden wedding favors


Elegant Wedding
Some like it pure and simple. To create an elegant look, decorate your reception in one color or two monochromatic colors. The key to create an elegant wedding is to keep it sweet and simple.
Colors: White
Flowers: Calla lilly, lily of the valey, star of betlehem, roses
Elegant Favors: Diamond ring napkin holder, wine opener, wine stopper, Placecard holders, personalized favors


Beach Wedding
White sands, flip flops, seashells, and tiki torch... beach wedding decoration is about using the earth and water elements.
Colors: Blue, White, Yellow
Flowers: daisies, hydrangeas, lily of the valley
Beach Wedding Favors: seashells salt & pepper , starfish soaps, flip flop keychain , coasters party favor



Fall Wedding
Earthy tones such as rusty brown, plum, dark orange, and red are often use for a fall-themed wedding decoration. Adding some candles an luminarias will be a nice touch for an outdoor wedding. It's nice to light up some candles and luminarias before the sunset.
Colors: copper, brown, plum, burgundy, dark red, purple, fuchsia , orange, green
Flowers: Dahlia, Calla lilly, Orchid, Belles of Ireland , berries
Fall Wedding Favors: Maple syrup, Pillow sachet , Fall Leaves Petals , candle lantern , wine accessories

Modern Fusion
Square tables, square vases, orchid, twigs and natural stones are the essential decorations for modern fusion wedding. Use extra large vases and long twigs to create the modern and clean look. As for the lighting, you could add hang some white paper lantern across the reception area and surround the place with candles.
Colors: black, lime green, aqua/brown, pink/brown, green/brown, white/white, white/red
Flowers: Orchids, Calla Lily, Belles of Ireland, Cherry Blossom, Bamboo
Modern Wedding Favors : orchid candle , photo album



Winter Wedding
So, you love the snow, the cool breeze and the smell of the pine trees in the winter. You decided to have a winter-themed wedding. Decorate the room with tree branches, blue lighting, white chairs, white tables, white carpet , pine scented candles, and don't forget to add some fake snow flakes and glitters.
Colors: blue, white, silver
Flowers: white flowers
Winter Wedding Favors: Silver wedding favors, Glass coasters , wine wedding favors , snowflakes confetti, ornaments

Smart Bride Saves Money

On average most couples spend about $20,000 for their wedding. Ask yourself a question, Do I have $20,000 to spend? Making your dream wedding in reality doesn't have to cost you your life savings. There are ways to cut your budget, you just have to know where to shop and willing to replace some things that are less important. Here are some tips where you can save your money on:

Wedding Location
Locations such as public park and beaches usually doesn't cost you any money. In some cities, they may charge you a fee but is usually very minimal compared to hotels and private estates. For an indoor wedding, many restaurants don't usually charge for a rental fee when you spend a certain amount of money.

Wedding Guests
Both of you agreed to invite only 125, after listing the names you've realized that you have 250 people you want to invite. What can you do? A good rule of thumb would be to invite close relatives from both sides of the family and close friends only. That might not be an easy thing to do when you have a large family. Here are some tips to help filter out the names on your guests list:

• Have an adult only reception
• Don't feel obligated to invite people who invited you to their wedding.
• Don't invite friends whom you haven't had a meaningful conversation with within the last year.
• Address the invitation to only one person, if you're single friend isn't seeing anyone seriously.

Bridal Party Gifts

Bridesmaid Gifts
As a token of appreciation, you want to show your bridal party how thankful you are for being by your side during the wedding planning and on the wedding day. Your gifts don't have to be fancy, but it should be thoughtful. Think of what your each bridesmaids hobbies are or the color she likes. If she likes to travel, a travel toiletry bag or jewelry roll will be suitable for her. If she loves bags, get her a cute monogrammed tote bag. Based on our poll, most brides would spend around $25-$30 on gifts for bridesmaids and up to $50 on maid-of-honor gifts.

Groomsmen Gifts
Guys aren't as emotional as women. Think of the sports he likes, his hobbies and occupations, then find gifts that he could use. A golfer would love to receive a golf accessories such as utility knives or golf towel. A business man might appreciate a business card holder rather than a stainless steel liquor flask.

Food and Beverages
Opt for chicken instead of steak, this could save you a bundle. Serving sodas only at your wedding will also help you cut down some costs. Some couples serve sodas and cocktails only and/or have an open bar where the guests have to pay for their own drink. If you must have alcohol beverages at your reception, purchase it in bulk from Costco or other wholesaler store where you can return the unopened wines after the reception. Some wineries may give you 10%-15% discount when you buy the wine in bulk.

Bridal Gown
Each retailers might sell same styles / brands , but the prices they offer may vary. The best way is to decide on the gown you wanted, find out the designer's name and style number, then start calling around bridal stores around your area. You'll be surprised of how much money you can save. Another way to save money on your gown is to shop at Jessica McClintock Outlet or bridal store during a sample sale event. Don't be afraid to make an offer to the bridal store, most bridal stores are willing to give up to 20% off to beat their competitor's price.

Centerpieces
Wedding flowers can be costly especially if you have a many tables to decorate at your wedding. Finding an alternative for your table centerpiece could help save you some money. Opt for centerpieces such as floating candles, sands and seashell in a clear vase or 2 stacked carton boxes with colored ribbon to match with your wedding theme.

Bouquets and Boutonnieres
Little things could pile up your expenses. Flower bouquet arrangement may cost you $75 to $150 for bridesmaids and $125 up to $350 for brides. Why not buy your own flowers at the farmers market and put it together yourself? Together with your bridesmaids and family you can create your own bouquets and boutonnieres.

Rentals
It's cool to have a tented-wedding, it's not cool to spend for $1,500 - $2,000 just for the tent. When you're on a tight budget, little things count so try not to spend on things you don't need. Ask yourself a question, Do I need a tent? If you do need it due to the weather, it'll make sense to rent a tent. Renting chairs and linen can be costly, too. There are different chairs styles available to choose from . The plastic kind is usually the most inexpensive, the folding wood chair and the most expensive one, the chiafari chair. Chiafari chairs usually costs around $10-$12 each to rent. Ask yourself a question, Will my guests remember the look of the chairs they sit on after the reception? They probably don't, most likely they'd remember the food they ate more than the chairs they sit on.