Favors | "At Michelles Place" Blog

Archive for the ‘Favors’ Category

Inspiration: Green Leave a comment

Posted April 17, 2011 by Michelle in Centerpieces, DIY, Favors, Green, Reception, Wedding Design, Wedding DiY, Wedding Planning

Tagged with Centerpieces, DIY, Green, Reception, Wedding Design

Budget Tips: Reception Leave a comment

My last blog entry centered around Budget Tips for Invitations. Let’s take a look at Budget Tips for the Reception. By all means, this is not exhaustive! There are money saving tips all over the place! Just take a look at some of your favorite Wedding Sites!

Beware of hidden costs! They can sneak around the corner and get you! So your Reception site vendor says that you can have chairs decorated with Tulle and a ribbon of your color. The cost? $$$. Do you need chair covers? How about going with just a sash of your color? Don’t be lulled into multiple menu/meat choices. You don’t have to have multiple menu/meat choices. Just have one meat. If you feel that you would like your guests to have multiple choices, consider a Finger Food dinner, or work with your vendor to supply smaller portions of two different choices. Don’t ever forget, Vendors will negotiate. The worst they can say is “no”. Skip the dessert course, you already have cake!

While we are on the topic of vendors. Look for a one-stop venue to save $$
(your Wedding Ceremony and Reception will be held in one location). Also, look for a location that will let you bring your own caterers, alcohol, food, etc., without penalty. This will take some organizing, but will save you lots of your hard-budgeted dollars. Consider having your Wedding and Reception on an off-day. Even Friday nights are cheaper than Saturday. Sundays are cheaper, too. When you call to get estimates and quotes, don’t tell them that you are getting married, tell them that you are holding a dinner for X amount of people. You will find that the estimate is a lot different! Take a step back and take a look at your family and friends. Maybe someone has a beautiful home or property (even a barn!) that would be willing to host your Ceremony and Reception. If you have your Ceremony outside, you have the natural decor, which means less flowers, less ribbon, less cost! You could even have a backyard BBQ! Most of the time, outdoor locations = free Venues!

When it comes to your Wedding Cake, you definitely have alternatives. Lots of them! You could have a Candy Bar, Pie Bar or a Cupcake Bar. Use Butter cream Icing instead of Fondant, or consider using fruits, flowers and/or ribbon. Also consider a smaller cake along with a sheet cake, or even a Fake Cake. Yes, I said a Fake Cake. At Cake Rental, you can design your own, or use one of their pre-designed cakes. Some locations and/or bakeries will make you a cake that is part real and part fake!

Or take a look at Fake The Cake.

Or check out Ultimate Fake Cakes.

For your Reception decorations, use your Ceremony flowers at the reception. Delegate a family member to help transport. For your centerpieces, consider fruit or vegetable centerpieces, intertwined with fresh cut flowers or greenery. Remember the greenery is less expensive than blooms.

Don’t get caught up in favor overload. Skip the favor or have something small, such as a candy bar in a small cellophane gift bag. Make sure that favors can be re-used (or edible) and the packaging can be re-used.

For alcoholic beverages, check to see if your venue will let you bring your own (this is a much cheaper option, sometimes). Check out an alcohol superstore such as Lukas Liquor. Make sure that they will allow you to bring back unopened bottles.

Okay. I think that’s it for now.

~Michelle

Posted June 12, 2010 by Michelle in Budgeting, Centerpieces, DIY, Favors, Pre-Planning, Reception, Wedding Design, Wedding DiY, Wedding Planning

Inspiration: Wedding Favors Leave a comment

Here are some great ideas for Wedding Favors for your guests! Some are a little less expensive than others….some can be DIY and some have to be bought. If you like one of them, use your imagination to make it work for you!

Serve your own Brew! Or serve your own wine! You can buy these or you can make them. You can do this with decorative labels! These can also serve double-duty as a Seating Card. Try http://weddingwinefavors.com.

If you’re having a dessert bar, how about serving up some extra take-home love with these Smores Gifts? Mmmmm….chocolate.

Scrabble Magnets. There is a complete “how-to-do” posted at Project Wedding: http://bit.ly/clOS6q.

Fortune Cookies. This can work even if you don’t have a Asian Theme for your Wedding. Try personalized Fortune Cookies too! http://www.beau-coup.com/ or http://fancyfortunecookies.com/.

Bamboo Wedding Favors. This can be a DIY project. You can buy the Bamboo and compile them, or, buy them 100% complete. Check out http://www.natureperfect.com/ or http://www.easternleaf.com/ or http://www.buyluckybamboo.com.

Plantable Wedding Favors. Go green with plantable seeds! Try http://www.wonderfulweddingfavors.com/ or http://bit.ly/9uy1Pl .

Give a plant! Maybe a signature flower that is part of your Wedding Theme or Ceremony. This can be a DIY project, also. Or, try http://bit.ly/cHPNpr.

Enjoy!

~Michelle

Posted May 19, 2010 by Michelle in DIY, Favors, Reception, Wedding DiY

more cost-cutting tips Leave a comment

More DIY….

1. Use DIY Bouquets and Boutonnières.

2. Did you know that anyone can become an Officiant? They can do so online. Ask a favorite family member to do the honors.

3. Have your guests RSVP online at your free Website, or via phone (to save on the postage).

4. Have a reception luncheon or brunch. Purchase the food from a local catering place.

5. Do have a Wedding Cake, but make it a smaller one. Order a sheet cake to complement the servings. Also, use a Buttercream icing instead of Fondant. Or have a “fake cake”. Yes, you can do that. What’s the harm? People will still have their cake.

6. Have your hair and make-up done by a Beauty School student.

7. Believe it or not, we have a Goodwill store by us and there are plenty of Wedding Dresses and a fraction of the cost!

8. Use favors as seating or place cards.

9. Buy the alcohol yourself. Hire someone to tend the beverages. Or have just beer and wine instead of liquor.

10. Have a dessert buffet with Cookies, Cupcakes, etc.

11. Beg, Borrow, Steal (okay…..just kidding).

12. Use a one-stop Venue. This is a very thrifty choice!

13. Make your own invitations. You wouldn’t believe how simple it can be! Also, many stores now carry “Make Your Own” Invitation lines, such as Martha Stewart. Also, do an RSVP postcard, it will save on the postage.

14. Hire a “new” vendor, such as a Photographer or Videographer who is just starting out. Check with local colleges.

Hope some of these tips can help you as you plan the day of your life!

~Michelle

Posted May 6, 2010 by Michelle in Budgeting, DIY, Favors, invitations, Reception, Tidbits, Vendors, Wedding Design, Wedding DiY, Wedding Planning