Wedding On a TIME Budget

Posted on March 16, 2015June 24, 2016 by Mary P Karnes

You just got engaged! What’s the date? People ask. Do you have a wedding on a Time Budget?

Well, if you want a big, grand affair, you better allow at least a year of preparation; if you want a Saturday night, at the venue of your choice, you should allow at least 18 months!

Some do not want to wait that long. That is one reason Maggie and Rob, KK and Tyler chose to be married on a Friday night. There are more options on Friday.

But what if you don’t want to wait even a year?

Well, you don’t have to…you just have to be flexible, open to compromise, and keep what’s really important in perspective…joining for life with the love of your life.

I was talking to a friend of long acquaintance the other day. She shared her wedding story, and what a story it was! The wedding was put together with a limited timeframe. An outdoor ceremony was presided over by a justice of the peace at a remodeled abbey. A family brunch followed. It was heart-felt and meaningful. It was not a matter of concern…at that moment in time… that the bride’s condo had just burned down due to a neighbor’s faulty fan hookup…or that the bride had to wedge her size “10’s” into size nine shoes…or even that the bride, (a district sales rep for the famous West Coast candy company, “See’s”), was robbed of her candy stock by her two dogs – who became sick, in a most undignified fashion, in front of visiting wedding guests… the important fact… the bride and groom’s dearer friends and family were present, the focus on what was truly important – their joyful union.

I hope you enjoyed the painting/photos. A brief description is below.
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Image #1 – Painting by Marcia Hackelman Van Dyke, Olympia, WA – an old college acquaintance.

Image #2 – Maggie and Rob’s wedding with friends, photo creds, wedding guests

Image #3 – KK, my next “bride to be”

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Spectacular Wedding Bouquets – Part II

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Mary P Karnes

Spectacular Wedding Bouquets …Of course you want a stunning bouquet! What bride doesn’t? It seems like it should be easy…but it’s not. Much like your own health – sometimes you just have to tell your doctor what tests you need, and what medication…you have to be your own advocate with your flowers. And no floral piece is as important as your bouquet. It is one of the main focal points as you walk down the isle.

Second to your dress, and hair, all eyes will next go to your bouquet. The flowers you carry give an insight to your personality. Soft and delicate sends a more romantic message; bold and striking, a flamboyant statement. And will you choose an all white bouquet to match your dress, or will you

opt for colors that will pop against your white gown, and pull together your color scheme? I personally like colored flowers for the bride, and white with a hint of color for the bridesmaids.

The flowers showcased on this blog post were selected for their exception craftsmanship and beauty. But they were not crafted by accident. For a truly memorable bouquet, more is involved than just a pre-wedding discussion and a deposit check. When you interview the florist initially, take photos of bouquets you like. Don’t just rely on his/her book of examples. More likely than not, he can create the look you’re going for, if you just point him in the right direction.

If you don’t, you may end up with a run of the mill bouquet the florist is comfortable creating. It may be their “Go To” bridal bouquet. Make sure your florist offers you flower options that are in-season at the time of your wedding. Please see the “Four Season” bouquet chart below that showcases

flowers in-season, and thus will be more cost-effective for your budget. Schedule another meeting 4-6 weeks before the wedding to review your choices. Maybe something has changed. When Maggie married, we made some changes to the peony color at the 12th hour…At our initial meeting, the peonies were not in season, so we “guessed” at the color selection. They WERE in season at our final floral check-in, and Maggie’s original color choice was not what she had envisioned. She took in a bridesmaid’s, (we didn’t have THOSE either in the initial interview), and the original color combo was not perfect.

I’m very excited about KK’s floral arrangements. KK and h,er lovely future mother-in-law, Janice, are doing them together, (well, with a highly skilled florist! 🙂 ), and they promise to be fabulous. Can’t wait!

Always remember, your vendors work for YOU. Their job is to please YOU. 🙂

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Image 1-5:

bellethemagazine.com

Image #6 Facebook.com – Skyler Umholtz

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Sentimental Gifts FROM The Bride

Posted on March 13, 2015 by Mary P Karnes

Everyone gives the bride and groom gifts, but what about when the bride wants to return the favor? Where to start? The sentimental gifts from the bride below, are a good start. And nothing is as powerful as the written word…

These embroidered hankies are thoughtful, timeless and can be personalized. The bride can even use her wedding colors for the embroidery thread to tie it to her theme. They are appropriate for anyone, male or female, young or old, whom the bride wishes to honor.

After the wedding, the recipient of this time-honored gift can choose to have it framed in a shadow box, or merely tuck it in a drawer for safe-keeping. Who knows…it may become a family heirloom…

If you think hankies are an option for you, there are many websites offering their services. When Maggie married, we did not choose them as gifts. We just may for KK’s wedding however… One company that offers responsible prices is: www.newtraditionshankies.com I have not used this website, but they have many choices and are not cost prohibitive.

And whatever you do, don’t forget the mother of the groom. She is a vital part of the wedding party, and your groom would not be the man he is today without her influence. Honor her, and continue throughout your marriage. And also…don’t forget your mom… 🙂

Next time…more gift giving options with the focus on bridal party attendants and guests!

First four photos from Pininterest.com

And the red shoes…well I just posted them ’cause I think they’re gorgeous!

weddingshoestips.com
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Bridesmaids’ Shoes

Posted on March 10, 2015 by Mary P Karnes

I have four daughters. When daughter number two became engaged, she of course asked her three sisters to be bridesmaids. Lots of drama in the house with a bride and three bridesmaids in residence. You may think the bridesmaids’ dress was the main topic of conversation…well, you’d be wrong. It was the shoes! There were four very different ideas, well FIVE if you count mine… So I ask you, “Must The Bridesmaids Shoes Match?”

In the photo above, from the bridaldetective.com, all the bridesmaids are wearing different shoes, but they are the same shade of red. I happen to love this. It flows, but allows for individual tastes, comfort, and age appropriateness. The bridesmaids and shoes can also be a way for the bride to express her color scheme or theme. The picture below, from theweddingspecialist.net, shows how a bride used her attendants shoes to create a unique color scheme and tone for her wedding. I like how the bouquets match the maids’ shoes. I’m guessing that this tone was carried throughout the decorating and floral arrangements. The black of the bridesmaids’ dresses, (once a social taboo), provides the perfect backdrop for the vivid shoe and flower color.

The photo above, merle shop.com, takes shoe color in a whole different direction. It appears the dresses are the same style, but different colors with shoes to match. The bouquets are the same for each lady. The theme goes back to my era, where a “rainbow” color scheme was popular, and shoes were purchased in a stock white fabric and dyed to match the dresses.

And what did my daughters finally decide? Well, a gold tone was the color of choice, so half the girls wore flats, and the other half heels. Maggie left it to the desecration of her attendants. In the photo below, you can see that two of my daughters opted for heels, and the oldest, flats.
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Mother of the Bride

Header Image: moncheriebridals

Author: Mary P Karnes

Wedding On a TIME Budget

Spectacular Wedding Bouquets – Part II

Sentimental Gifts FROM The Bride

Bridesmaids’ Shoes