“This was love at first sight, love everlasting: a feeling unknown, unhoped for, unexpected – in so far as it could be a matter of conscious awareness; it took entire possession of him, and he understood, with joyous amazement, that this was for life.”
-Thomas Mann
Designer Events specializes on budget weddings. I am here to help you find a good budget and stick to it. This includes your honeymoon. So, how does one (or two) take a vacation with little means to get there?
Borrowing a few ideas from weddingchannel.com:
Plan for it: Start saving money for it when you get engaged and put all your extra cash, even if it’s 20 bucks at a time, into that pot. You can also use the cash and checks many people will give you instead of a gift.
Drive: Yes, gas has been outrageously priced for a while now, but it’s still cheaper than flying.
There’s no place like home: Don’t go too far. Exotic locations and foreign countries will suck your wallet dry…unless you live near the border and can drive.
Ask: One of you is bound to have a friend with a time-share, summer home or extra cabin. Ask if you can borrow or rent it for a week. Of course, you should always give them a very nice thank-you gift.
And a few ideas of my own:
Don’t pay full price for your hotel room: Use priceline.com or a similar service to get nice rooms for the cheapest available prices.
Walk: Find a location that has entertainment and restaurants close-by and plan to walk a lot (bring comfy shoes!). You can save a bundle by avoiding cabs, buses and trains.
Set your honeymoon budget. Then reserve a few hundred dollars for emergencies and souvenirs. If you still don’t spend it all, you can use the extra cash for your budding marriage when you get home. And if you do, it’s still wise to have a little cushion.
Get a reservation: If you set reservations for theaters, museums and events before you leave home, you may be able to save more money than if you get tickets when you get there.
My parents’ wedding gift to us was the honeymoon–in Italy. As an artist, Italy has always been my dream destination. My honeymoon was a dream come true, not only because I got to go on a wonderful vacation with my new hubby, but because I got to see great works of art that I had been studying for the last several years. I even got to see the house where Michelangelo grew up, then the place where he worked and became famous, then the place where he was buried.
Here are some pictures from the trip.
First, we stayed outside of Milan in the lake country.
Favorite…
Then, we moved on to Florence. I couldn’t tell you which location I liked best.
Don’t forget your camera as you pack!
Suitcase from Couverture
Find the above suitcase at Couverture.
Of course, honeymoon packing differs depending on the destination. However, there are a few key things that you won’t want to forget.
Don’t get too caught up in the wedding itself! Remember, this one day is in preparation for a lifetime. The honeymoon is the beginning of that life together. It is traditionally the groom’s job to plan the honeymoon, which I think is a fantastic idea since the bride generally has so much to do with the wedding. However, many couples are working together these days. Either way, you want to have a wonderful honeymoon with lots of great memories. Here’s how.
Determine what kind of honeymoon you both want. Do you like to do all the touristy activities and see all the sights all day long? Do you like to relax in the hotel with tea and a good book? Do you look for night life? Think about what you normally do on vacations and what you always wish you could do on vacations. Answering these questions will help you decide on a location as well as an itinerary. If you are going to an unfamiliar area, especially out of country, I highly recommend using a travel agent. This will ensure things go smoothly and you don’t forget any major details.
While planning the honeymoon, look for special romance packages. You can sometimes get extra luxuries or even a better room. Be sure to take a copy of your marriage certificate (an official copy, preferably).
Sign up under your maiden name unless you have enough time to change your name on all your travel documents before the honeymoon.
Have fun! Your honeymoon will be the best vacation you’ve ever had, but travel can put a lot of stress on a relationship. Decide ahead of time that you will compromise and not be easily offended. If you aren’t determined to go with the flow, then the first thing that goes wrong could turn into your first married fight.
If you are getting your make-up done professionally, be sure to take your lipstick or gloss with you when you leave. You’ll be doing touch-ups all day. Your maid of honor is a good person to hold on to that for you.
Also, have diaper pins on hand for when (not if) your bustle breaks. Fabric is very heavy and diaper pins will hold better than plain ol’ safety pins.
Legend has it that bridesmaids were originally used as a distraction to keep evil spirits away from the bride. They would dress just like the bride to confuse the spirits. What a sacrifice! These days, bridesmaids don’t sign up for spiritual battle, but they are a very vital part of the wedding.
In addition to bridesmaid fashion today, I want to talk a little about the duties of this role. I have seen many women who think that being asked to be a bridesmaid is just a way for the bride to say ‘you’re special to me’. While this is true, a bridesmaid’s duties go much further than just showing up at the wedding. This role includes throwing a bridal shower and bachelorette party, helping the bride with any do-it-yourself projects and being available for any trouble-shooting on the wedding day, and during the months prior. A bridesmaid should support the marriage, and intend to be supportive of the marriage for many years to come. Complaints or objections should never escape a bridesmaid’s lips!
Brides: This is the ideal bridesmaid, but chances are, they won’t be perfect. Be patient with them. Communicate your expectations and then leave it at that.
Now, for fashion. It can be difficult to find a dress that will fit many different body types. One good option is a tea length dress. Strapless also compliments most body types. Take into consideration measurements, skin color and personality. One popular way around the body-type issue is getting different dress types in the same color. I decided to go the other way. Same dress, different colors:
Photo by Linda Story
For excellent advice on bridesmaid-hood, visit www.twirlboutique.wordpress.com and for Twirl’s website, visit www.twirlboutique.com. The creators of Twirl, Keri and Jenni, have been bridesmaids 16 times combined. Their store provides excellent service and exquisite dresses that will be worn again!
Happy shopping!
Every groom should look fabulous on his wedding day. Here are some ideas to make that happen.
I love this dramatic splash of color. It’s fun to draw colors from your wedding into the groom’s attire. Just be sure your boutonniere matches perfectly.
Available at After Hours Formalwear
Brown is everywhere right now. Brides are realizing that they aren’t stuck with black. Brown has a softer, more comfortable look. But, how does a groom get away with wearing a black tux to a brown wedding? Solution:
At London’s National Wedding Show, there were two trends for the groom–white tuxes and top hats with tails. The white tux, especially coupled with a brilliant color is so clean and modern. Notice the matching sash the bride has in the background.
I have always loved kakhi at weddings. But, it isn’t reserved for beach weddings.
What are some unique ideas you’ve seen on grooms?
It’s fashion week here at Aisle Talk! Let’s start with a look at some gorgeous, not-so-traditional gowns:
Reverie by Melissa Sweet
Reem Acra via Martha Stewart Weddings
I particularly like the flirtiness of the short wedding dresses. If you don’t have the cash to get a designer gown, but you want something unique that people will remember, get a dress you can afford, with a few bucks to spare, and use the extra to add to the dress. Add your own texture. Get a fun accessory like a hat or a sash, or a jacket. Get some gloves for a chic look. Or, take your cue from the first picture here and get some bold jewelry to accent a somewhat plain dress. Have fun!
Tip #4: Write down a basic outline of what you want to happen at your ceremony and reception. Are you having a unity candle or a sand ceremony? Will there be readings? A slide show? Will there be a traditional announcement of the bridal party at the reception? Are you having only a father-daughter dance, or will your new hubby dance with his mom as well? Will your great-aunt be singing at the reception?
Create a basic outline, with key words (don’t worry about sentences right now) to break down how the evening will look. This will be something your wedding coordinator will need and, if you don’t have a coordinator, your vendors will want to know from you what to expect.
