Archive for 'Real Advice'
If flowers are important to you (you want to carry Hydrangeas in your bouquet or include Gerber Daisies in your centerpieces) remember to check what’s in season. Most florists can find you whatever flower you want but, if it isn’t in season, the cost goes up. Here’s a helpful list to help your floral planning.
Fall
Amaryllis
Sunflowers
Dahlias
Mums
Hydrangea
Marigold
Winter
Sweet William
Hyacinth
Cymbidium Orchids
Evergreens
Spring
Tulips
Peony
Lilac
Lavendar
Queen Ann’s Lace
Hyacinth
Summer
Black Eyed Susan
Zinnia
Larkspur
Poppy
Gardenia
Iris
Year Round
Rose
Gerbera Daisy
Orchid
Stephanotis
Calla Lilly
Another way to add personality to your wedding is with a signature cocktail. It’s also a great way to cut costs! Instead of having a full open bar, serve wine, beer and your special drink. Couples can choose a drink with significance, their personal favorite or something wedding appropriate (ex. the Blushing Bride – a mix of gin, cranberry juice and ginger). If you’re stumped, just choose a drink that goes with your color scheme. If you’re not worried about sticking to a budget, serving guests a special cocktail as they arrive at the reception is a fun way to get the night started. Looking to kill two birds with one stone? Add a place card to each cocktail and place them on a table. Done!
Here’s are a few delicious recipes that your guests will love!
The Italian Greyhound
- 1 tablespoon of rosemary
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 1 -2 ounces gin
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed pink or red grapefruit juice
- Splash Aperol
Rub the edge of a glass on a wedge of fresh citrus – grapefruit would be perfect. Put some of the rosemary sugar on a plate and rim the glass.
Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the gin and juice, and top with a splash or two of Aperol.
Limoncello Sparkle
- 1 ounce limoncello (an Italian lemon liqueur)
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- Champagne
- Long lemon peel, for garnish
Combine the limoncello and Cointreau in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake moderately, and strain into a champagne flute. Top with champagne. Garnish with a long lemon peel.
Blackberry Sage Cooler
- 15 medium sage leaves
- 4 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup water
- 8 ounces of blackberries
Bring the water and sugar to a boil over high heat just until sugar dissolves. Crush the sage leaves with the back of a spoon and add to the syrup mixture and set aside to let the sage infuse for 15 minutes and then remove the herbs.
Meanwhile puree the blackberries in the blender and then strain the mixture through a fine strainer.
To serve place a tablespoon of the blackberry puree in the bottom of a glass, add a tablespoon of the sage syrup and top off with 8 ounces of club soda.
Other drink ideas
Serve your guests…
- mugs of hot chocolate or spiced cider
- old fashion coke bottles with large straws
- pint glasses of your favorite beer
After your amazing wedding celebration is over you can be left with a lot of stuff; candles, vases, “mr. and mrs.” signs, a dress etc. Unless you plan on getting married another time (we aren’t judging!) the likelihood of re-using these items is slim. That leaves you with a few options; keep everything in boxes in your basement, donate it, or sell it. There are a lot of future brides out there on a budget and would love to use your unwanted goodies. Here are a few places to look into and ideas to think about after your big day is over:
Recycle Your Decorations
Ruffled, a website and blog that features anything and everything about weddings has a shop called “Recycle Your Wedding.” Future brides, past brides, planners and stylists can buy or sell their unwanted “stuff.” There are new listings every day for everything from wine glasses to vintage shutters. It’s free to list and Ruffled doesn’t charge a commission fee! Other websites that offer a marketplace for selling and buying are 100 Layer Cake and Bravo Bride.
Recycle Your Dress
If you’re not sentimentally attached to your wedding dress, selling it is a great option. Extra dough in your pocket and a fellow bride gets to rock your gorgeous gown. Before going digital, look into thrift stores and consignment shops in your area. Most of them accept wedding gowns. If you leave in the area, there is a resale wedding gown shop in Ardmore, PA called Sabrina Ann. This option saves you the time and effort of packing and shipping your dress.
Another idea; give your dress to a charity! Brides For A Cause works with Wish Upon A Wedding, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing weddings and vow renewals for couples facing terminal illness and serious life-altering circumstances. Brides Against Cancer hosts wedding dress sales. You donate your dress, another future bride gets the opportunity to purchase it and the money goes to cancer research!
Other sites that host used wedding dress sales are Once Wed, Recycled Bride , Smart Bride Boutique, Wore it Once, and Bravo Bride Looking to get rid of an old bridesmaid dress in the back of your clost? Think of trading it in for a LBD at Newlymaid. They accept dresses for donation from ALL manufacturers in the bridal industry including bridesmaids, mother of the bride, social occasion, and prom dresses. Your old dress will either be donated to charity or recycled into new filament for eco-friendly fabrics!
- Lauren G.
