High Price Look for Less

Why should you have to go deep into debt in order to have the perfect wedding? Unfortunately, not everyone is an A-List movie star with millions of dollars to blow on their wedding day. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a wedding worthy of a magazine cover.
• The Dress – You do not need a top designer wedding gown to look beautiful. Big designer names set the wedding trends for the season. However, those designs are then copied and reproduced in mass at much lower prices. Watch for sample sales or end of season sales. Forgo the expensive silk fabric and look for a polyester blends. They are much less expensive, easier to clean, and don’t wrinkle as much.
• Dresses for the Girls – Save your female attendants money as well by shopping for their dresses in department stores. Check out the sales after prom or the holidays.
• Flower Power – Make sure your flower choices are in seasons for your wedding. Most florists can get nearly any flower any time of year but it will cost you. Your florist should be able to suggest alternatives to your out of season favorites that will be just as beautiful and be able to give you the same, or at least similar, look for a lot less. This also goes with less expensive alternatives to high end flowers. Add in fillers to your bouquets and centerpieces. Lots of greenery, baby’s breath, and large bushy blossoms are great ways to fill space without emptying your wallet.
• Décor – Shop around. Buying from specialty stores always costs more. For vases or candles, check out the dollar store. For unique touches, check out discount stores like Ross, Marshalls, or my favorite, T.J. Maxx/Home Goods. Wal-Mart, Kmart, and Target are also great discount stores to check out. Shop online. Sure you have to pay for shipping but the internet has some great deals and you can often find things you can buy in bulk and wholesale prices. Ebay is amazing!
• You’re Invited – Make your own invitations. Craft stores like Michaels and JoAnn have invitation kits that you can customize and print with nearly any printer.
• Where? – Look for ceremony and reception sites that need little decorations. Having your ceremony in a lush and beautiful garden are usually fairly inexpensive to start with. They also provide all the décor for you. Why add lots of other fuss when the natural beauty of the gardens already takes your breath away?
• Drinks – See if your caterer will allow you to provide your own alcohol and other drinks. Stocking up on drinks from places like Beverages & More or Costco can save you a ton of money.
• Gifts – Nowadays, it seems like more and more couples are living together before the big day. If you are one of these couples, it is likely that you already have more than enough towels, dishes, and small appliances. Ask your guests to contribute to your honeymoon fund. There are websites, such as Travelers Joy where you can register for your honeymoon. Your guests can buy you one night stay at that villa in Venice or a romantic dinner for two at the restaurant overlooking the Caribbean shore. Websites like this make gifts a bit more personal than handing you a check.
• Make Money Off Your Wedding – Ok, I know this sounds crazy but there are tons of brides out there just like you who are trying to save money on their wedding. You can sell you wedding items after your wedding that you don’t need/want. Really, when are you ever going to use 15 vases and 150 tea light holders ever again? Sell the extras you bought and never used. Sometimes it is even cheaper to buy your tablecloths or other linens and then sell them when you are done than to rent them. Check out sites like Weddingbee or Craigslist.
• Hire a Wedding Planner - I know this may sound silly as a wedding planner could be pricey. However, most wedding planners, such as myself, can work within your budget and help make sure you plan within your means. A wedding planner can also help negociate better prices with your other vendors. They know the ins and outs of what works best and can take care of it all, saving you money and even more importantly, time. Time is valuable and this is time you could spend working and making more money!
Why break the bank if you don't have to? Need more help with planning your wedding and staying within your budget, shoot me an email!

Love Takes Flight - Inspiration Board #3

A couple years ago, I decided that I was going to go skydiving for my birthday. A couple friends of mine and I drove up to Lodi, CA along with my parents (who would just watch us take the plunge) to check off one more thing on my list of things to do before I die. Yesterday, I received an email from my mom with photos of our jump and was totally inspired.



Yes! That’s me!

I wanted to do an inspiration board this week inspired by flight with birds and bright blues like the sky. However, I thought that the Love Birds theme has been done. I wanted to take it to a whole new level. When searching around on Google, I came across this piece by Vincente-Lucy Knight



I just loved the colors and the freedom captured here. Love and marriage is about flying together. Skydiving was the closest thing I have felt to flying. That is until I fell in love.

California Theatre

This gorgeous historical theatre in downtown San Jose is absolutely stunning. I went there this evening to see Lawrence of Arabia. Unfortunately, my fiance, Brook, was working so I had to go alone. Mainly it was to just to see the theatre but I had never seen Lawrence of Arabia so I figured, "what the heck!" That movie is really long!

The California is now mainly used for the San Jose Opera, Ballet, and Symphony though this was the last weekend for their summer movie series.

They do host weddings within the theatre and their multi-layered lobby is a gorgeous setting for your reception. It was built in 1927 and is beautifully restored as accurately as possible to its formor glory with a few modern changes. To view the history of this beautiful, historic gem, visit http://www.shomler.com/calsj/info.htm

A Day At The Beach: Tuesday's Inspiration #2

This weeks inspiration came from a drive I took a couple weekends ago along the coast. All the beautiful colors of the water, the sand, the grasses, and the beautiful trees.

Ole! Inspiration Board #1 - Spanish Flamenco

This is the start of a new weekly segment. Each week we will be featuring a new Inspiration Board with photos for a different wedding theme or color story. These may or may not be of actual weddings we are working on.

This weeks feature is a Spanish Flamenco theme. This is something that was mention during a brainstorm with a past client but this particular theme was not chosen. However, I was very excited about it and flew into ideas head first. I would love to actually be able to execute this idea someday so if you love it, please let me know!

Our First Wedding! A Success!

The Test Of Time Weddings had our first wedding this past Saturday. Marianne and Jeff are now Mr. & Mrs. DeLumpa! Everything went smoothly with a few minor snags (as is expected) but were handled quickly and smoothly! My assistant, Rebecca, and I were so exhausted by the end but excited and happy with the result. Our biggest lesson for the day was to wear comfy shoes. My feet are still hurting.

Everything was beautiful, especially the bride and groom! Marianne and Jeff were absolutely glowing the entire night!

Pictures will be coming soon. Keep a eye out!

Designed by the Bride

I just came across this website today. What a excellent and fun tool for brides-to-be! It is www.designedbythebride.com You can design your own wedding cake, bouquets, and centerpieces. Save yourself money, stress and time, until you are like me and get addicted to sites like this. But that ok because it is a ton of fun!