Need help with wedding, PLEASE.?
411020
I did everything for my wedding myself, and we were also on a budget.  I chose red as the color for the bridesmaid dresses...I also had a little red on my white dress, and I carried red roses.  The bridesmaids carried white calla lillies.  All the coursages and boutineers were red roses w/ white ribbons, when applicable.  All those flowers were down by Thrifty Florist and cost $290.00(USD) - (Bridal bouquet, 3 bridesmaids bouquets, 5 boutineers, 6 coursages) \n\nFor the ceremony/reception we did the flowers ourselves, I had red rose petals on the cake, and around the centerpieces, and along the edge of the head table.  The centerpieces were glass bowls with water and white floating candles.  I got the bowls at Wal-Mart, and the candles at candlesjustonline.com  I got the roses at Costco for $14/dozen.  I also made the toss bouquet out of red roses from Costco.  I got some artifical fall leaves from Wal-Mart and used those to decorate the arch we used in the ceremony, we also put them on the tables.  We had about 115 guests.  You can check out some pictures from the wedding/reception at my website http://stardustsweetee.tripod.com.  The fabric that's on the arch and the head table I got at Hancock Fabrics for about $10 total.  \n\nI tested out how I wanted the centerpieces to look before I bought 15 of the bowls and a bunch of candles.  I got one bowl and small package of floating candles, one little sprig of artifical leaves, and used my coffee table (even though it's square).  I set them out in different ways until I liked it...I asked his opinion, but of course, he didn't have one...\n\nWe made the chocolates that we gave to guests...Went to a cake decorating store and bought a brick (literally!) of chocolate, molds shaped like leaves, and some flavoring.  Melted the chocolate down, added flavor to the colored chocolate and poured it into the molds, let it set, and then filled the boxes I got at Weddingchannel.com (in the wedding shop) for $25/fifty boxes, the personalization was free, and tied a little red ribbon on the box.  Got the ribbon at Hancock Fabrics for 75 cents a spool.\n\nPlease feel free to email me with any questions/specifics, I'd love to help you!\nStarDustSweetee@yahoo.com
1116568
Congrats on yuor wedding... to be there.. \n\nYou can have fusion for the wedding. \nI am not sure what custom you are going to follow. \nIf you are going through the church type then you can do you christian style dress. \n\nDress has to be Red in colour....You can apply a bindi(red dot on yuor forehead) \n\nIn the evening for reception you can dress in the traditional way. It might be dificult for you to wear a saree if no one is ready to help. Else you can get a Chania Choli (red colour) with gold work on it. It will look nice as well. You can go for the mathcing jewellery with that  for the full set. \n\nAbout the food you can have 3-4 disshes which will be an add on for the people. I am sure the white americans will like the food too. \nSome Items like Papadums and samosas for starters\nItems like Paneer (cheese) Palak(spinach), or Navratan Korma. You can check this from the caterers or the Indian restarants as to what dish you like.. \nThis can be with the Indian breads (Rotis) \nIn sweets you can have Gulab Jamun or Kulfi (type of icecream made from boiling milk for long time)\n\nAnything more IM me.. My wedding was on their last year and I will send you the link for my wedding photos on the yahoo. \n\n\nSmile always
930770
here is a website on etiquette for starters\n\nhttp://ourmarriage.com/html/wedding_etiquette.html
1089312
If you're in the beginning phases of planning a wedding (which it sounds like you are), your best bet would be to talk to your fiance so that you can determine what you both want in your ceremony and reception.  Start broad: come up with what time of year you want to get married (winter, summer, etc.), what kind of place you'd like to get married (church, beach, etc.), and how big you'd like it to be.\n\nOnce you've narrowed down your options, go to a planning website like www.theknot.com, www.wedalert.com/, or www.brides.com.  They'll give you options on ideas, and you should be able to use their interactive planning calendars too.\n\nUse the given dates to plan dress shopping, invitation sending, and everything else.  They may even have a budget calculator to make it even easier!\n\nBest of luck to you...\n~mm~
1107031
Depends on what you want really!\nI am planning mine at the moment, so we can learn together! I am having it at a register office. I had to call to book an appointment with the superintendant registrar. They asked me when I wanted to get married and booked it over the phone! Next week we have to take our passports and proof of address to the register office to prove we haven't been married before.\nWe are having the reception at a local pub owned by a friend, and the flowers I am doing. I am buying silk flowers I can keep forever. My friends are making food so we can have a big huge buffet!\nGood luck with your wedding, get in touch with your wedding date if you need any more help!!
324225
Maybe you should both go to a coulselor and put the wedding on hold. That's what I would do. No need to rush into a wedding if you cannot get along.
947137
Very nice! Try to find an all inclusive package for a destination wedding...\n\nJust throw destination wedding into Yahoo Search and you will come up with all kinds of stuff in all price ranges...\n\nI had a wedding for 50 people for less than 1000 dollars, not recommended but very nice just the same...\n\nHope this helps!
1030200
Take their wedding photo and have it colorized (if its black and white) or take their colored wedding photo and have it either made into an oil painting or a canvas photo.\n\nI 've done it, and they were very pleased
492211
http://www.ultimatewedding.com/articles/get.php?action=getarticle&articleid=134\n\n\nThe sources below may also help.
973202
I think a day of consultant is better then just a wedding consultant.  I really helps with all of the day of worries.  Have you tried joining theknot.com.  It is a great resource for finding everything you need for your wedding.  I own an online wedding boutique and would rather help my clients in any way possible to find that item then them have to hire a wedding consultant.  But if you do know one, as on theknot.com under your city and I am sure someone could help!  Makes life so much easier for the brides.  Let me know if you have any specific questions or something you are looking for...I am sure I can help!
429916
http://bridalshop.freeservers.com/BH115.html\n\nFound this, hope it helps!\n\nhttp://www.101weddingtips.com/forums101/show_message.htm?mid=137856
207538
Make as many things yourself as you can.  Look at the wedding isles in places like Walmart. \n\nThey have invitations that you can just print out or there are tons of site on the internet to look at for ideas to do yourself easily. \n\nMichaels.com has many ideas for making silk flower arrangements with all the step by step instructions.\n\nEnlist your family and friends for help.  If you know somebody that can make a cake or take pictures.  If you have a local school that has photography class see if one of them would be willing to do it for experience or a professional starting out for the experience.  \n\n4 of us made all the food for a family members wedding the night before.  Or have a deli make up serving tray and all you would have to do is ask a few people to put it on the serving table.\n\nInstead of a dj make mixed cd's before hand and just play them straight threw or ask a family member that loves to play music.  You would be surprised at the amount of people that would be honored to do things for your wedding.\n\nCongratulations and best of luck!
623629
I am 21, when I got married my mother and my fiance's parents split the cost. Neither could afford the whole thing on their own. I got married at a chapel that offered in house photography (which is the most expensive and the most important thing about the day in my opinion). It hurt that I couldn't have the the huge wedding because there simply wasn't the money. My advice would be to definitely do what you can afford and only that. But do what you can afford. No less. No matter how frivolous you may think it is, you should offer to do all you can for the most important day of your daughter's life. That being said, there is no need to do ridiculously lavish things like fireworks at the wedding, or a 10 layer cake. Pick your battles here. The dress is going to be expensive, when she finds one she loves, let her have it no matter what the cost but make sure she knows the budget. If the budget is $10,000 and she wants a $5,000 dress she needs to know how much that leaves her. My fiance and I made our own invitations with a computer kit we bought. It was $25 at walmart and they turned out beautiful. \nHer fiance doesn't need to be pressuring you. If he wants more than you can afford tell him point blank he will have to get it somewhere else. Money can be an uncomfortable subject but you have to be upfront about how much you can afford. Ask what kind of wedding your daughter has in mind, a simple beachfront wedding, a huge cathedral wedding,etc. That can also help you figure out how much you will need to spend. Before you plan a budget, discuss the things that are most important and the things that could be simplified (invitations, the ceremony site,etc). Look around at different locations and offer help where it is asked for and make sure your daughter knows you are willing to help her in any way needed. The grooms family is supposed to pay for the rehearsal dinner so if he wants to impress friends tell them they can go all out then. The wedding traditionally falls on the brides parents but nowadays its up to whoever can pay. Bring both families together to discuss payment. And only pay what you can.\n\nAs to the other suggestions here: the brides family typically pays for the wedding. That includes flowers and liquor. So don't be petty about those things. You don't need liquor at the reception as that can drive costs through the roof. If you want liqour there have a cash bar instead of an open bar, or not at all. Depending on where you have the wedding,they may not allow liquor to be served.\n\nAs for an elopement, please don't encourage this. Your family will hate that they weren't included in the wedding amd couldn't see their neice/cousin/grandchild get married. As will you. Don't you think you will wish that you got to see them get married? Don't encourage that.\n\nYou didnt say whether or not your daughter has a career or not, so if she does and can afford to pay for the wedding I agree she should help out but as a gift to the married couple,it would be nice if you were to help out. But sometimes it takes a little longer to get a career together, so if she doesnt have one you should definitely help. But if she does have one and you choose to help, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Even if she was 40 and you were paying, there is nothing wrong with that.
92326
My wedding coming this September is country themed.  I'm using mason jars with either fresh flowers or floating candles for my centerpieces and my colors are black, white, and pink.  I'm also going to have horse shoes for decorations.  I'm still looking for white wedding boots though.  And if you have can drinks or beer at your wedding you could get a big metal wash tub and fill it with ice and put your drinks in that!   Congratulations!
1097283
My husband and I were in a similar situation and we had a very nice wedding for cheap.  Your best bet...do it yourself.  We had the reception at my parents house.  40 people in the basement and living room and it was great.  everyone had so much fun and it was very memorable because it was once of a kind.  my mom did the food all herself and we got some KFC chicken because my husband is supervisor there.  If you decide to do the food yourself you can contact me through this site and i could give you some ideas and tips no problem.  i got my dress on sale at a bridal shop because the style was no longer made.  it was only $500 (with cleaning, steaming and alterations) marked down from $1000.  There are also alot of prom and brides maid dresses that resemble wedding gowns that you could go for as well.  a plain wedding band can be as little as like $100, then later on in life you can renew vows and give a different ring(thats what we ae doing) and you can make alot of decorations and favours and flowers yourself or get them cheap from like a dollar store.  we got balloons and streamers in pink and silver for the decorations from the dollar store.  under $50 to decorate and you'd never tell we spent so little.  keep the guests minimum and that way you could do an open bar too.  for the 40 guests we bought 5 cases of beer, bottle of vodka, rum and rye and some wine.  it was plenty and everyone was happy not to have to pay for booze.  it was great and such a wonderful day.  we got married a a wedding chapel for like $250, but you could look into doing a ceremony at your home or something for cheap too.  just keep in mind everything that needs to be done can most likey be done yourself for half the price.  dont give up and dont wait if this is what you want to do.  its no impossible and trust me, if you love him that much, its a day you'll never forget.  also remember, you can always renew vows some day and do it the way you want when you have money.  thats my plan. small the first time, then big party when we renew.  best of luck to you.
1184236
this is YOUR wedding not theirs. tell them how you feel, calmly with out being forceful about it. let them know your feelings are being hurt because they are controling what is supose to be YOUR day.
1004486
You should be able to find someone who can keep you under $3,000.  Look around and do your research.  On The Knot, you can search for photographers in your area and narrow it by price range.  If you know people who’ve gotten married fairly recently, ask them who they used and how it all turned out.  See if you can find a photographer who is experienced and who will give you the negatives or a disc with the pictures (depending on whether they use film or digital).  My mom is a photographer, and she’s done this.  Of course, it takes time for them to shoot your pictures, but any good photographer is going to go through your pictures, weed out the bad ones and possibly edit some of the others, so if you get the film or a disc, that saves them time, which means you don’t have to pay them for that extra time.  It might be more work for you to go through your pictures and put together your own album, though.  Photographers also have access to labs that develop high-quality pictures, which is especially important if you’re getting anything in a large size (11x14, for example).  If you really need to cut back, see if you can hire someone for the ceremony and the formal pictures, and find someone else (a student, for example) to shoot the reception.  I wouldn’t recommend having a friend or relative do it (unless they’re a professional, but even then, consider some of this) because they will want to enjoy the wedding, they probably won’t get anywhere near as good of pictures, they won’t have the same equipment, and if something goes wrong, it can be very stressful.  Some people don’t have any of these problems and they just want basic pics, so it all works out.  My friends had a relative shoot their wedding and the pictures are terrible – most of them are blurry, the lighting was wrong, and the bride was very disappointed.  Also, don’t waste your money on disposable cameras at the reception – they’re too much money for such low quality, and depending on your guests, you may just get a bunch of nothing.  Good luck!