So what does the bride do when her pantyhose rips?  Or if the bridemaid’s dress rips?  Or if the day is windy and the bride’s hair flies all over?  The best thing to do is pack an emergency kit with a few contents that can help rescue the long day.  Here a few suggestions:

• Makeup:
  • Tweezers
  • Tissues
  • Cotton Balls
  • Makeup Remover
  • Lipstick
  • Pressed Powder (all the lights from the cameras can make you shiny)
  • Eye Makeup
• Hair:
  • Bobby Pins
  • Hairspray
  • Brush/comb
  • Hair bands
•  Hygiene
  • Perfume
  • Breath Mints
  • Deodorant
  • Dental Floss
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
•  Hands, Nails, and Feet
  • Hand lotion
  • Same color nail polish for touch up
  • Nail file
  • Nail glue
  • Nail polish remover
  • Extra pantyhose and black socks (black socks for both bridal party and groomsmen)
  • Shoe polish
•  Sewing Supplies
  • Small sewing kit (with black and white thread as well as the colors of the bridesmaid’s dresses)
  • Fabric tape
  • Needles
  • Saftey pins
  • Clear nail polish (for pantyhose runs)
•  Snacks
  • Power bars
  • Crackers
  • Water
•  Medicine
  • Asprin
  • Antacid/Pepto-Bismo
  • Band aids
  • Smelling salts
  • Club soda
  • Baby wipes
  • Tampons

Have the maid of honor pack these items a few days before the wedding so you’re not stressed out about it the day of the wedding. 

When deciding on who to pay for what, not only does it get confusing but it can also be a sticky situation.  Talking about money is always a sensitive topic.  These days, the bride and groom usually splits the costs of the wedding.  However, in a traditional American wedding, the bride’s family usually pays for most of the costs.

Traditionally, these are how the costs are split.  If you want to download the form instead, click on this link here:  

Who Pays for What Worksheet

Out of the Bride’s wallet:

• Groom’s wedding ring
• Wedding gift for the groom
• Gifts for the guests (wedding favors)
• Accommodation for out-of-town guests
• Wedding day lingerie
• Bridesmaids luncheon 

Out of the Groom’s wallet:

• Bride’s rings (including the engagement ring)
• Wedding gift for the bride
• Honeymoon vacation
• Marriage license
• Groomsmen gifts
• Bride’s bouquet
• Corsages for mother of bride and mother of groom
• Boutonnieres for men in wedding party
• Ties and accessories for the men in the wedding party
• Clergy, Justice of the Peace, Wedding Officiant or minister’s fee 

On the Bride’s family:

• Wedding planner
• Engagement party and announcement
• Wedding reception
• Bride’s attire
• Wedding invitations, announcements, thank you notes
• Wedding photographer and videographer
• Wedding ceremony costs
• Bridesmaids and flower girl’s flowers and accessories
• Ring bearer’s accessories
• Transportation for bridal party from ceremony to reception
• All gratuities
• Their own attire

On the Groom’s family:

• Their own attire
• The rehearsal dinner 

The Maid of Honor pays for:

• Wedding shower
• Bachelorette party

The Best Man pays for:

• Bachelor party

The Attendants pay for:

• Wedding attire
• Wedding gifts to the newlyweds

Do keep in mind that this is just what is traditionally paid for by each party.  These days, everyone and anyone can pay for anything.

If you’re thinking of planning your own wedding, things can get overwhelming.   I know because I’ve been there.  But with a little organization and help, planning your own wedding can be a fun, stress-free activity.  One of the problems I encountered was booking things late so my first choices, from photographers to buying the wedding dress to booking the venue, was not available. 

Mid way through the planning, I finally decided that it was time for a checklist.  I wish I had this sooner in my planning.  It helps keep me on track.  I hope you can find this checklist useful.  

Just click on the link below for the file.

Wedding Timeline Checklist

Are you wondering how to save money on flowers for a wedding? The cost of flowers can vary widely depending on a number of factors. Many frugal brides-to-be realize that the types of flowers that they choose to use in the their wedding can mean serious savings.

Here are some ways that you can save money on flowers for a wedding:

1. Use in-season flowers. Flowers that aren’t normally available during the time of your wedding are going to be more expensive. Instead ask your florist which types of flowers will be in-season and base your wedding planning around that.
2. Buy your flowers wholesale and DIY. If you or another member of your family happens to be creative, you can order flowers wholesale online and make your own arrangements. If you choose to do this, make sure that you have a cool place to store the flowers. You don’t want them dying before the wedding.
3. Chose a date when the venue will be decorated. Many churches and other wedding venues are beautifully decorated during certain parts of the year. If you plan your wedding near Christmas or Easter, for example, the church should already be decorated and you won’t have to spend money on your own flowers.
4. Use fake flowers. Yes, some fake flowers look cheap. But there are many artificial flowers available that look quite real. Using fake flowers has an added bonus that they will never die and you can keep your bouquet forever.
5. Create a simple bouquet yourself. There’s no need to have 50 roses in your bouquet. Instead, why don’t you pick some wildflowers and create a bouquet out of those? A bouquet like this can fit in with a wide variety of wedding themes.
6. Have less people in your wedding. Everybody who’s in your wedding needs to get flowers. Bridesmaids need bouquets and groomsmen need boutonnieres. If you reduce the number of people in your wedding party, then you’ll reduce the amount of money that you have to spend on flowers.
7. Carry a single flower. Instead of carrying a large bouquet, you can carry a single flower. This can look very chic and will save you a lot of money. If you still want to carry a bouquet, perhaps the bridesmaids can carry a single flower.
8. Choose a beautiful venue. Many venues are known for their natural beauty. A garden or beach wedding, for example, won’t need much in the way of additional decorations. Their beauty stands alone. If you select a venue that is already beautiful, then you can avoid spending money on flowers simply to make things look pretty.
9. Don’t use flowers. Who said that flowers were required? Do your own thing and carry a candle. Or don’t carry anything at all. There are many different things that can decorate a venue just as well as flowers that aren’t as expensive.
10. Pick an off-season time. There are certain times throughout the year when flowers are known to be more expensive. If your wedding is close to Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or during the wedding season (May-September), then you can expect your wedding flowers to be costly. Frugal brides never schedule their weddings during these times.

In addition to these suggestions, speak with your florist and let her know what your budget is. She should be able to work within that budget.

Whether you choose to limit your selection, or forego flowers altogether, you can save money on flowers for a wedding.

Wedding catering is undoubtedly one of the most expensive costs of a wedding. It often eats up over half of the budget! Is all this spending necessary? No! With a bit of creative planning, you can drastically reduce the cost of your catering.

For example, the time of day that you plan your wedding will greatly affect the amount that the food costs. Lunch menus will be significantly less expensive than dinner menus…even if you are serving the exact same thing! If possible, try to plan your reception for earlier in the day so that you can serve lunch instead of dinner.

Another possibility is to hold your reception during a time of day where people wouldn’t expect to be fed a full meal, such as during the afternoon or late in the evening. You can serve only hors d’oeuvres and wine, or dessert and coffee, for example. An afternoon tea party is a great theme that would reduce your catering costs. These types of receptions may not be as common, but they are catching on in popularity and they can be just as elegant.

If you do choose to serve a meal, you can save some money by offering a buffet instead of a sit-down meal. Buffets can be a great alternative because your guests are able to choose what they want to eat. This is almost always less expensive than a meal that is served directly to guests. Most caterers offer this type of meal.

You may also want to consider the types of drinks that you serve wisely. Alcohol costs can really add up, and choosing not to serve it could cut your catering bill in half. It’s up to you whether you want to serve alcohol or not, but if you need to watch your budget, then you might want to consider serving less expensive alternatives such as beer and wine.

If possible, you can reduce the amount of time between when the reception starts and when the meal is served. If your reception is held at the same location as your wedding ceremony, there’s no real need to wait a long time to serve a meal. By doing this, you will save money from not having to pass hors d’oeuvres around.

The cheapest of all ways to feed your guests is to design your reception as a potluck meal. This works best when the majority of your guests are not traveling from out of town. Every guest can bring a special dish that is shared between everyone. If you’re going to opt for this, you need to make sure that the venue allows you to bring your own food. Some venues do not permit outside food.

It is possible to reduce your wedding catering costs, but you need to decide what is important for you and where you can make cuts. Once you know what can go, the rest is easy.