Bomboniere - Budget favours: M&Ms

An easy, yet interesting, way to save money on your wedding favours or bomboniere is to get M&Ms in your wedding colours (or any other lollies that come in your wedding colours).




Put it in a lovely organza bag and VOILA! You have a classy bomboniere that everyone will love.

Plain, peanut or crispy. You choose!

Bomboniere - New from i-Weddings: Celebrate your unique-ness!

Cookie-cutter uniform-ness has permeated our everyday lives. We eat the same Macdonalds, KFC, Kebab Co food everyday. We buy and wear mass-produced clothes and footwear from overseas. Everywhere we turn, we recognize someone wearing, eating or carrying something we have. Or horror of horrors, we turn up at a formal dinner wearing the exact same outfit as another person.

For that special day in your life, i-Weddings offers you a wide range of unique bomboniere and wedding favours. Not the cookie-cutter mass-produced overhyped bomboniere and wedding favours you often see at weddings. But personalized, unique and beautifully hand-made wedding gifts to thank your guests by saying, “Hey, you’re so special for making the effort to celebrate our wedding with us”.

Personalise your weddings with these bomboniere and wedding favours from i-Weddings:

Message in a bottle **See update below**

Send your message in a bottle! A truly unique gift for your guests! Each bottle has a message inside (you may specify the message or opt to have it blank and write in your own message).

**Update** i-Weddings has decided to discontinue our "Message in a bottle" product. Check out other suppliers of this unique "Message in a bottle" in Australia from Message Bottle or All Bottled Up. I'm sure you'll find what you're looking for from these two companies.

Rounded shot glass
Comes wrapped in clear plastic with a matching ribbon (if preferred). Choose from existing artwork or submit your own.

$3.60* each

Personalised Napkins

Napkins can be personalised with two lines, bearing the couple's names and wedding date or with a message of the couple's choice.

* Price quoted for minimum order of 200 pieces. For quantities less than 200 pieces, please email me and I'll be happy to quote you the price for the quantity you require.

As posted on i-Weddings

Reception - Guest seating arrangements

Seating arrangement is a pain in the butt. When I was planning my wedding, I had to arrange guests into tables of 10. Gosh, I was tearing my hair out everytime I look at the seating arrangements. I had more tables of 8 or 9 guests than I had tables of 10 guests!

I guess seating arrangements is the un-glamorous and un-romantic part of a wedding. So many arguments have been had with my then fiance and parents.

I don't think there's any way out of doing the seating arrangements. Otherwise you'll end up with guests milling around like lost sheep. Or worse, fighting with each other over which table to go to.



I did some research online and came across this website - Seating Arrangement: Weddings and Events. If the name did not already given it away, the website has a tool to help you with your seating arrangments. The best this is it's FREE. For a limited time, at least. They only require you to register and you can download that tool for free.

What are you waiting for?

Nobody puts Baby in a corner

I just saw this Youtube video featured on tv today. A British couple, Julia and James, recreated the final dance scene from Dirty Dancing as their first wedding dance. Now that's entertainment!

Planning - Statistics and facts about weddings

Unsure if you're going overboard with your wedding plans? Here are some statistics for comparison to see if you are overdoing your big day.

Demographics

• The average age of a groom is 31 in 2003
• The average age of a bride is 29 in 2003
• 57% of wedding ceremonies in Australia in 2003 are civil ceremonies

When?

• The most popular months for weddings in Australia are March and November
• The most unpopular months for weddings in Australia are June and July

How much?

• The average cost of a wedding in Australia is $39,114
• On average, a couple pays for 75% of the wedding cost while their parents supplement the other 25%
• The average price of an engagement ring bought by Australian couples is $4,461
• 22% of couples spend more than $6000 on their engagement ring
• The average price spent by an Australian bride on her gown is $1,940
• On the wedding day, the Australian bride spends on average $466 on hair and makeup
• On average, Australian couples spend $6,106 on their honeymoons

Cut your budget with these tips:

Top 10 tips wedding budget tips
More tips to cut your wedding reception budget

Reception details.

• The average number of bridesmaids at a wedding is 4
• The average number of guests at a wedding reception is 189
• Majority of brides plan their weddings 7 to 12 months before the date

Reception - More tips to cut your wedding reception budget

Limit the number of guests at your reception

Be very strict with your guest list. If an acquaintance invited you to his/her wedding 5 years ago and you haven't seen him/her since then, feel free to strike them off the list. Guilt-free.

If your venue allows it, bring your own drinks and food

Buy in bulk in advance. Look out for specials in your local supermarket or bottle shop up to even 6 months before the wedding. You may feel like you're being paranoid but you'll be thankful closer to your wedding date that you were prepared early on.

Limit your drink selections at the bar

Limit the selections to soft drinks, beer, wine and one signature drink.

Have a destination wedding

If you are really strapped for cash, have your wedding in a location where your guests will have to travel. It may be surprising but destination weddings are on average cheaper than a normal wedding. This is partly attributed to a shorter guest list and the fact that most of the wedding cost is shifted to the guest. It may be your chance to have your dream wedding in an exotic destination.


Have the reception dinner the night before your wedding

Re-use most of the flowers from your reception dinner. Just add more flowers on your wedding day. That way, you pay for less flowers.


Consider getting married in an off-season or on a less popular day of the week

Most venues and vendors offer discounts during these periods / days. Having a cocktail reception or a champagne brunch instead of a traditional dinner reception can cut approximately 25% off your costs.


Be selective about your bridal party

Of course it would be ideal if you could include all your best friends, sisters and close cousins in your bridal party. But you have to be practical. Choose people who are relliable and can help you in planning and executing your wedding. The average number of bridesmaids in a wedding is four.


Use your contacts

If you know a graphic designer, ask him/her for a favour to design your wedding invitations. If you know a DJ in a club, ask them if they'll be willing to DJ at your wedding. More often than not they'll offer you mates rates, or not charge you at all!

Related posts:

Reception - Top 10 wedding budget tips

Themes – Garden-themed wedding

Outdoor garden weddings are increasingly popular with modern brides. More and more couples are willing to take the calculated risk (through careful planning) of adverse weather to get the wedding day they’ve always dreamed about.

Choosing the date is probably the biggest task. Weather is one of the most important factor on a garden wedding. Plan carefully with The Weather Channel’s Wedding Weather planner.

Use lots of white. White will bring out the luscious freshness of the greenery in the garden. White will also inspire a soft elegance which contrasts with nature and the outdoors. If you’d like some colour, choose soft pastel colours to allow the natural greens and other colours of the garden shine.

Flower soap bomboniere $3.80 each* from i-Weddings

Depending on your preference, you could point your garden theme in two ways – an elegant Victorian type garden wedding or a more natural feel.

For the elegant Victorian type garden wedding, use white linens, white plates and white napkins.

Classy rose candle holder $3.65 each* from i-Weddings. Perfect for your guests at your elegant garden-themed wedding.

For the natural-feel garden wedding, use lots and lots of flowers. Incorporate butterflies, dragonflies, lady bugs etc into your decoration. Have a birdbath and let your guests make a wish for you both by throwing coins. Donate the proceeds to a charity of your choice.

Incorporate butterflies at your garden-themed wedding with these cute butterfly placecard holders that double up as bomboniere $3.60 each* from i-Weddings

If you’re having your garden wedding at dusk, don’t forget lots and lots of candles in votive holders. You can use the candles to light the pathway for your departure. Use candles in lamps for romantic lighting options. Drape fairylights around the trees and other plants.

Light up your garden-themed wedding with these Rose Candles $3.25 each* from i-Weddings

Remember to work with the nature around you. Gardens provide the perfect setting for any type of feel you want. Just touch it up a little and you’ll have your perfect wedding setting.

Scatter some long-lasting silk roses around your table $1.00 for a pack of 10 silk roses exclusively from i-Weddings. Pick your colour to match your theme.

* Price quoted for minimum order of 200 pieces. For quantities less than 200 pieces, please email me and I'll be happy to quote you the price for the quantity you require.

Bouquet - Top 3 wedding bouquet trends for the 2007 bride

1. Bold colours

2. Tea roses

3. Garden-inspired

Proposals - How do I propose to her?

There are so many unique ways to propose; as the number of romantic couples so are there unique ways to propose.

1. Use usual items and turn them into something unique and special: print on a T-shirt and make sure to wear it when she least expects it. Hang a sign up in the house or in public – this simple gesture has proven to be one of the most exciting ways to offer.




2. Unusual places – proposing marriage while camping out, flying in a hot air balloon, or visiting a safari in Africa – any original and unique place will increase your special moment and turn it into an unforgettable moment which will long be talked of.

3. Some unique marriage proposals require long preparations: printing a message in a magazine, flying in an airplane over a field covered with a large sign saying: 'will you marry me'. All the preparations turn out to be worthwhile – your marriage proposal will be unique and exciting, increasing the chances of your sweet beloved one to say the magic word: YES.

4. Using street performers, friends dressed up as cops or public service men who attend your loved one and then surprise her with a romantic letter from you, asking her to marry you – all means are good, just make sure your unique marriage proposal consists of romance, humor, style, drama and glamor. The unique mix of these elements ensures that you create a successful marriage proposal.

Taken from: Best Marriage Proposals

Some stories to inspire you:

1. No competition

My favorite sport is riding bikes; I practice a few times a week and take part in various competitions. So when I came to propose to Miranda I decided to use my hobby as an advantage –on the back of my bike I put a flag up with the sign: Miranda will you marry me?" and entered the competition with the flag on my bike. Miranda wasn’t supposed to come to the grounds where the competition was taking place but I knew she would be watching it on TV at home and I hoped the cameras would take a close shot of me and the flag…. And they sure did!

I know, from her telling me later, that she leapt up from the sofa, gave a serious scream and… well you can imagine her excitement. Her mum was the first to call, a minute later, her family and many of our friends saw it at the same time on TV and they too called her on the phone.

I was still riding my bike, concentrating on the competition but also wondering whether she had already seen the sign or not…. An hour later the competition was over and before I was able to reach my mobile phone the TV camera was photographing me, and I was asked what this was all about. I faced the camera and said on live broad cast: "Miranda I love you, will you marry me?" People around me were cheering.

I know it touched the hearts of many people, (deep down inside ourselves we all want others to be happy and loved), then somebody handed me my phone – I think it was my friend Gary – and finally I was able to talk to my love, who by this time was crying with joy - and heard her say the sweet word I was so longing to hear: YES!!!

Then I held out to the cameras the engagement ring I had kept all that time around my neck and showed it to the cameras. I think by that time she almost fainted at home…. Shortly after when we met we could say to one another all that was to say – that we dearly loved one another – and I could give her the diamond ring.

2. Second-time lucky

My marriage proposal idea is kind of unique. I met Revital about 6 years ago just a few days before her birthday so a year later I knew she would be expecting me to propose on her birthday. I made reservations at a fancy restaurant and gave her subtle hints that I was going to propose that night.

I am a little teaser by nature, so that night just before we left for the restaurant I gave her a birthday present. I bought her a pair of diamond earrings and put them in a small jewelry box. Of course she expected me to propose at that same instant since the box looked just like a diamond ring box. When she opened the box and saw the earrings you could see she was disappointed since obviously she expected me to pop the question. She put on the earrings, thanked me and we left for the restaurant.

The evening went well with us drinking a whole bottle of wine. You could see she was waiting for me to propose and she did her best to give me many opportunities. When we finally asked for the check I could see she was disappointed I didn’t propose.

Just before we left for the restaurant I put many presents on her bed and hid the diamond engagement ring under her pillow. I even bought some marriage magazines and had them gift wrapped so she couldn’t tell what they were. We got home and went to bed and then she saw the presents and finally I proposed.

We spent the rest of the night going through the marriage magazines and planning our wedding. We have just celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary and still laugh at how I proposed.

3. He loves me, he loves me not

I was given a dozen roses. Inside one of them had a ring. they were sent to me with the instructions of playing He loves me -- he loves me not. until I found the ring.

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Think you've got a better proposal story? Email it to me and share it with the world!

Reception - 7 July 2007: Perfect day for your wedding?

Thousands of U.S. couples planning to tie the knot this year aren't leaving their chances of marital success to love alone, with a rush to marry on what some see as the luckiest day of the year -- 07/07/07.

The number seven is considered by many to be lucky, with seven a perfect number in the Bible, Buddha walking seven steps at his birth, and seven lucky gods in Japanese mythology. In the game bingo, the call is "Lucky Seven, God's in Heaven."


Wedding industry professionals are reporting venues fully booked across the United States for weddings on July 7 which falls on a Saturday, and wedding planners, florists, bakers have experienced a surge in demand for services that day.

"The number seven is associated with luck and couples believe that having all sevens would add that extra hint of luck. Also, it is an easy date for their spouse to remember," said Kristin Ciccolella, co-founder of online wedding site WedAlert.com.

WedAlert's bride database shows 605 weddings planned for that date -- which is three times higher than on the equivalent Saturday a year ago.

One celebrity couple is joining the throng. U.S. actress Eva Longoria, a star of the television series "Desperate Housewives," and basketball player Tony Parker plan to marry in Paris on July 7.

"Tony is extremely superstitious and thinks 07/07/07 is the day most lucky to get married on," a source was recently quoted as telling the U.S. celebrity magazine US Weekly.

Las Vegas, which calls itself the "wedding capital of the world" as it processes over 100,000 marriages a year, said it had experienced a spike in demand for that day.

"Wedding chapels have reported couples booking further in advance to secure a slot on that desirable date and are booking as small as 15 minutes increments to accommodate as many couples as possible," said Erika Pope, spokeswoman of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

"People do tend to gravitate toward any date that is memorable -- like 01/01/01, or 02/02/02 -- and I think people enjoy the idea of saying they married in Vegas on 07/07/07."

The world's largest retailer, Wal-Mart, not usually known as a wedding destination, has come up with a plan after realizing many would-be-brides were finding venues and vendors booked solid for July 7.

Wal-Mart said on Tuesday it was giving seven betrothed couples wedding ceremony and reception packages at local Wal-Mart Supercenters -- in the lawn and garden areas.

"Considering that the average American wedding costs a whopping $22,000 and requires multiple trips to various vendors, the betrothed will be delighted to save money and time at Wal-Mart," said a company statement.



But will a marriage on this magical date be different?

"Love is the foundation to a happy, solid and lasting marriage, not numerology," said Ciccolella.



Source: Reuters