Jacquie Cattanach recently wrote an interesting article on saving on your Wedding. This was one of her tips on Life Style.
“Most high schools and colleges have horticulture classes that specialize in caring for and arranging flowers and plants. For a small fee, you could hire these aspiring florists who would be thrilled to work on your arrangements. The teachers of such a course will act as your safety net and, as an added bonus to you, will have extensive experience and oversee your project.”
I found this article by Rabbi Dara Frimmer in the JewishJournal.com on June 24, 2009. She discusses the why’s and the what’s of selecting a mitzvah project. This is an important part of this life cycle event when a young woman, or young man, transitions to Jewish adult life. A mitzvah project Rabbi Frimmer says:
“…reminds us that the celebration of the bar/bat mitzvah student amid centerpieces, flowers and balloons is not only a celebration of age and accomplishment but also a celebration of his/her capacity to heal the world.”
Later she continued: “Saying ‘thank you’ for all of life’s gifts won’t fit into the last few paragraphs of a student’s d’var Torah. At the moments when we are most aware of our blessings, mitzvah projects help us to concretize our feelings of gratitude through service to others. Sometimes, words are not enough; we need to act.”
I just picked up this post by Cristina in which the bride
commented:
DIY Wooden Name Cards
“I made these by renting a mitre saw from a tool rental facility to cut a eucalyptus branch one of the gardeners at Stern Grove gave to me from the mulch pile. I had my husband carry it up the stairs (it weighed nearly 100 pounds), fired it up, and had 90 cross-section disks in about 20 minutes. The dust gets everywhere despite the dust bag, so I put down a tarp to do this (we don’t have outdoor space) and wore a respirator mask. The disks that were cut a little too roughly I sanded down with my Dremel tool. I then printed the text for both sides onto clear inkjet labels and cut them out with a circle cutter. I stuck the labels in place and smoothed them down. Our florist brought a tray with moss in it for me to display them,” explains Lauren.
We have a new video up for those interested in a variation of our “just add sand” do it yourself centerpieces. These are definitely slanted to the younger crowd, babies and toddlers. So here it is for the world to see!
Jackie Burrell (Contra Costa Times) wrote an interesting story as reported by San Luis Obispo.com The Tribune.
These tips caught my eye
“- Do as much as you can yourself, but don’t do it solo. Host a bridesmaids and mothers’ party to assemble craft projects. Ask friends for help with photos, flowers, even the dessert buffet. Especially now, most people are delighted to make their wedding present a gift of time and expertise.
“- DIY is not always cheaper. Pick the most meaningful, budget-friendly projects and don’t overspend on craft tools you may never use again. If you’re looking for some esoteric piece of equipment, ask for advice on one of the DIY wedding forums, or call a local art studio. Some rent studio time and tools.”
Read the rest of the story, which includes tips on do it yourself flowers as well as some great resources.
A very interesting article about DIY weddings from the beginning appears in the Monterey County The Herald website. Jackie Burrell wrote it and quotes an early DIY bride who said: “the DIY movement was just in its infancy and pretty much for the micro-budget brides. It was all about saving money, finding the cheapest avenues to pull off a wedding.”
She was further quoted to say: “Martha Stewart’s approach to weddings and her stylish DIY projects were a turning point” and “Suddenly, DIY was chic. And the Internet’s exponentially expanding networks not only spread the word, they provided the expertise to make the movement successful.”
Jackie writes: Now DIY wedding blogs and discussion boards are popping up all over the Internet, and craft stores are responding to the trend. The DIY wedding aisles at Michaels (craft stores), for example, multiplied this year.
Maria Sciollo of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette writes a contrary view of the trend towards budget weddings. She states: “Big fancy weddings are still being held, but local business owners involved in the state of matrimony said they were seeing a subtle downsizing.”
Several merchants’ views state the economic conditions are not affecting their business. Is Pittsburgh immune to the recession? Read more of the story Wedding-related businesses note subtle downsizing of big day
At post-gazette-now.
We added a new polystyrene ice hockey player cut to our product line as a result of the increased popularity of our local Chicago Blackhawks. The polystyrene cut out is available individually or in kit form as part of a series of “Just Add Sand” co it yourself centerpiece kits. Visit our Website page for construction details.
Ice Hockey Player Cut Out
This new ice hockey player stands about ten inches high and almost ten inches wide at the stick. These, and other cut outs, come in sturdy polystyrene which can be sealed, painted or decorated in other creative methods. Some are available in multiple sizes. Orders for customization are accepted.
“Just Add Sand” (or gravel or pebbles) to this line of centerpiece kits for a finished party centerpiece. We are a leading source of do it yourself supplies and centerpiece kits as well as free do-it-yourself videos and step by step instructions. Kits include many sports (baseball, football, basketball, golf, etc.), doghouses, tall wedding centerpieces, name centerpieces, etc. Most kits include attractive papers, ribbon, dowels, sprays and other options. Table names and same themed place cards can also be added for a complete look.
