Use Colors to Express Your Specific and Unique DIY Wedding Flowers and Accent Ideas

Tracey Smith’s blog on Thoughtfully Simple earlier today was titled Express Yourself with Color on Your Wedding Day

She began by writing: “Did you know that every color has a specific meaning or symbolism? Just like horoscopes, some people believe in these symbols and meanings and others do not. Whether you believe it or not, certain colors certainly do exude specific energies (red is hot, yellow is cheerful, etc) and the colors that you choose for your wedding theme can have a big impact on the overall success of your big day. Here is a closer look at what the specific meanings are behind the most popular wedding colors…”

For instance, she continued to explain:  “The color RED signifies passionate love….. The color PURPLE signifies magical, mysterious love…. The color YELLOW signifies happy and wise love.”

Read what these and other colors represent in the rest of the story.

Recession Diary: DIY Wedding Way to Go

An interesting article appeared earlier today on UPI.com.  It talks about do it yourself weddings in times of recession.  I think it’s about getting back to roots….

“I’ve attended many a formal wedding but think the communal route we took for my daughter’s wedding is the way to go.

“The efforts of so many people made the celebration unbelievably joyous, electric and rollicking. The love in the room was palpable.

“With the exception of the officiating rabbi and my close friend’s string quartet at the ceremony, the wedding was completely non-professional. If all weddings were like this, the outrageously costly industrial wedding machine would come to a screeching halt.”

Read the rest of the article…

“A DIY Wedding with a Forest Theme” offers Great Guest Name Tags for the Handy!

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.

Read the rest of the article at intimate weddings.

Is All This Buzz About Budget Weddings Merely A Rumor and Not Fact?

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.

Brides angle for cheaper weddings

An interesting article written by Sue Stock appeared in The News and Observer on Thursday.

The article opened with the following:

“Brides are still saying “I do” in 2009, but they’re saying “I don’t” to lavish weddings.

“For many, spending $22,000 and up is unrealistic amid a recession. Some brides are taking the do-it-yourself route, making their own invitations, centerpieces and favors.

“They’re cutting out open bars and limousines. And they’re playing hardball with vendors, asking for additional discounts before signing contracts.“

It went on with many tips and suggestions to savings on your wedding budget. You might want to read the rest of the article if you are interested in cutting back on your upcoming wedding expenses.

More Cheap Silk Flower Wedding Centerpieces

We put together some additional variations

DIY Silk Flower Wedding Centerpiece I

of cheap do it yourself wedding centerpieces. The first uses a shorter piece of the flexible plastic tube glued to a small polystyrene circle. The centerpieces is weighted down with glass marbles. A selection of silk flowers are added at the top of the tube and the tube is filled with shred. The entire piece is garnished with mylar paper poofs (flowers), ting and onion grass for a professional, easy on the budget centerpiece.

Additional ting may be added to the top section and names, dates or pictures can be attached to the tube for a personalized look.

DIY Silk Flower Wedding Centerpiece II

This second cheap silk flower wedding centerpiece has some slight variations. Use your favorite gift wrap to fill the flexible plastic tube instead of shred. Then wrap two half sheets of mylar paper around the base and tie with a ribbon.

For more ideas and step by step assembly instructions, go to do-it-yourself-wedding-centerpiece.com

The Budget Bride – 5 Money Saving Tips!

Panache Weddings and Events has this wonderful article on money saving tips. Its worth looking at…

“Just like so many of us these days, brides are on a serious BUDGET! And sticking to the budget is definitely a chore. As I meet with more and more brides there is one theme that is always the same. Brides are on a budget and they just don’t wanna sacrifice ANY part of the wedding that they have dreamed of. So, here is a little advice on how to cut costs without cutting out the style.“

They have hints on the reception, gown, centerpieces, printing, and photography.

Wedding Day of Event Coordinator – Even Brides on a Budget Need One!

Your wedding, and the time leading up to it, should be one of the most special events in your life. You should be free to participate fully and enjoy yourself totally. Minimize the time and effort needed to plan a party. Use a day of event coordinator, rather than family and friends, to reduce your stress and to attend to all the details. Your event will go more smoothly and you will be relaxed and less anxious.

Your wedding should be a memorable and joyful event, free from stress and anxiety. You are the guest of honor, not an event manager. Enjoy this time and spend it sharing the day with your new partner, family and friends. Relax and take part in all the festivities. Pamper yourself throughout the wedding and weeks preceding it.

Planning any event or party can be a very time consuming task. It can be overwhelming to plan an event for 100 or more people! There are so many details and last minute checking which only provides additional stress and tension. Unexpected things come up and have to be addressed, sometimes immediately.

Friends and family may wish to help out, but sometimes the best intentions go astray. It is not easy to “boss” family and friends when they act as volunteers. Feelings can get hurt and relationships strained when expectations are not met.

Even if you do not hire a wedding planner make sure you use a wedding coordinator. A professional will help coordinate the day of event from the very beginning through the last detail. Let your wedding be the day you imagine it to be!