Got Wedding Etiquette?

Tales of Our Wedding Our wedding was a casual affair focusing on sharing time with those near and dear to us. We didn't want to spend a great deal or to begin our marriage in debt. So, we hosted ours at our local Veteran's Memorial Center beginning in the afternoon. Saving money on the venue is imperative, as it can be quite costly. With this choice we saved thousands. Of course, hosting our reception in the afternoon also lowers the total cost by allowing us to serve lunch instead of dinner. A lovely, tree-lined courtyard in the center of the property was the perfect setting for the ceremony which was followed by the reception in a large room steps away. The room was lit with natural light from large windows on both sides of the room. The major plus was the kitchen access. For the meal, we chose one of our favorite Italian restaurants as the caterer. It is amazing how inexpensive it was.  Everyone raved about the food. I took classes so I could make our cake . It was beau...

  Consider These Ideas A thrift or hobby shop is a good start. For her wedding , a friend purchased strings of silk red roses (very realistic) from a local hobby shop for a few dollars a bag.  She wound them around the posts of a gazebo leading to the alter.  All cost less than $10. She also found red rose petals to decorate the tables. The venue already has one candle per table. With the pedals, the look was amazing. Two bags total at $1 each. Grocery stores can create special centerpieces for a fraction of the price of a florist. Farmer's markets and local farms may have flowers in bulk at very reasonable prices. Purchase flowers in season. Tap Friends for Ideas. Ehow offers wonderful ideas. Please leave your ideas in the comment section to share with others! More by The Polite One Money-Saving Cake Alternatives Money-Saving Bridal Attire Tips Money-Saving Wedding Favors Tips 

  Dear Polite One, We are now planning our reception, what it will include and the flow of the event.  Neither of us are interested in the bouquet toss and garter belt tradition. Do we have other choices or are these traditions mandatory? Quizzical Dear Quizzical , Interesting question. My book , Wedding & Reception Planning: The Etiquette Guide for Planning the Perfect Wedding  includes information about where these customs originate. You will find alternatives to the wedding garter toss and the bouquet toss. Basically, you can skip them or create something of meaning to you.  Once you know more about where these traditions began and why, it is much easier to decide what you would like to replace them with or skip them entirely. We can create our own new traditions for reasons only we know and believe in. You are only limited by your own imagination. Sincerely, The Polite One More by The Polite One How to convey to guests that they must...