Did you know that the average wedding costs over $23,000? While there is no shame in spending more or less than this, the averaged wedding costs can still add up quickly. Most brides overshoot their wedding budget goals by as much as 15%! To avoid breaking the bank with your wedding planning, here are some budget-friendly tips for brides-to-be!

Wedding Budget Tip 1:  Avoid The Busy Season

The majority of weddings occur between May and October. In fact, October is the new June. Late fall weddings and winter weddings are beautiful and allow brides to reduce costs by catching vendors and wedding supplies when they're not in great demand!

Also, consider marrying on a Friday or throughout the week. Marrying on a weekday may be less traditional, but it's a fun and unique way to make your ceremony special (and save money!). Weekend weddings are great but reception halls charge the most for Saturday evening weddings. By marrying on a Friday, you'll be able to save on the reception costs, enjoy great options for the ceremony location, and spend a three day weekend with your groom!

Wedding Budget Tip 2:  Pass Up The Dessert Tray

Wedding cakes are a huge reception expense. Since this is the most important piece at the reception, no bride wants to cut it out completely. Instead, opt for a smaller wedding cake. Also consider a cupcake wedding cake. This tasty trend allows guests to enjoy a small portion of the same great flavor. The biggest treat for you? Cupcake cakes usually run about $60 compared to hundreds for a traditional wedding cake.

If a smaller version of your dream cake won't feed everyone, consider having a sheet cake of the same flavor along with your wedding cake. An evening of dancing, drinks and good food doesn't leave much room for dessert. Consider passing up extra dessert options which quickly add up (on the hips as well)!

Wedding Budget Tip 3:  Go Green With The Wedding Flowers

Opt for more greenery in the reception arrangements. Most guests won't know which flowers are in or out of season so trim the cost of your wedding flowers by using more greenery. The wedding ceremony flowers are a beautiful addition to the ceremony but remember that this is where guests spend the least amount of time. Most spend more time at the reception so consider putting the budget emphasis on your wedding reception flowers instead.

Wedding Budget Tip 4: Go Green With The Wedding Invitations

In the age of technology and conservation, eco-friendly wedding invitations are a big perk. If you want to send standard wedding invitations, consider replacing the RSVP cards with a note on the invitation that asks guests to RSVP at your wedding website. Wedding websites will save a ton on less important wedding stationery. (Oh, and invitation liners are unnecessary. You're breaking no etiquette by opting out on these.)

Wedding Budget Tip 5:  Double Up With Wedding Favors

Wedding favors are a must-have for most brides according to traditional wedding etiquette. Wedding favors can be practical and functional though! Consider favors that double as place cards or serve a purpose after the wedding. Personalized bottles of bubbles serves as wedding favors and can be used instead of tossing rice or bird seed after the ceremony.

Wedding Budget Tip 6:  Opt For A Cocktail Reception

This is a good way to glam up your reception without spending lots of money on food and decorations. Waiters carrying trays of hor d'oeuvres is a glamorous look and a frugal choice for brides. Many wedding caterers have their own wait staff, so consider hiring a local caterer with wait staff for a glamorous but easy-on-the-wallet reception.

Wedding Budget Tip 7:  Buy The Music, Not The Band

A band at the wedding is always fun, but consider a single musician or a dj instead. Going this route with wedding reception entertainment will save costs simply because you're paying for one person instead of multiple people.

Wedding Budget Tip 8:  Share The Menus

Instead of giving each guest a menu at the reception, opt for one or two per table. These can look elegant when placed between beautiful table settings or when stood on either side of the table's centerpice. This saves paper and printing costs plus adds to the decor of the table.

Are you looking for one convenient place to get all of your wedding invitations, wedding favors and even great gifts? Stop looking! Head over to The American Wedding instead.

Whether you live in the United States or Canada, you have access to top quality wedding stationery from The American Wedding. Whether looking for eco-friendly wedding invitations, budget-friendly invitations, save the date cards, or other wedding stationery styles, find it all at The American Wedding! They take care of your invitation needs from beginning to end. Starting with save-the-date cards and ending with thank you cards to acknowledge wedding gifts, the best thing about shopping with The American Wedding is that all of your wedding stationery is in one place!

Well, if there were a runner up for "the best thing about shopping with The American Wedding" it would be that you can also get wedding favors, tableware and gifts here! All the trinkets for the table at your wedding reception are covered! Their wedding favors are awesome for every type of bride. Traditional and modern brides both rave about wedding favors from The American Wedding. If you're interested in favors that your guests will love, pick up your favorite wedding favors while shopping for your stationery! One stop shopping is the thing that makes The American Wedding the American dream for many brides.

Now the wedding tableware is every bit as important as wedding favors at most receptions. The tableware at the reception speaks volumes about the bride so she must choose the pieces that best reflect her. With many options from which to choose, brides shopping at The American Wedding can get the best of the best in glasses and tumblers, cake servers, napkins, place cards and more. Looking for personalized napkins to add that special touch to your reception? Find the ones you want at The American Wedding!

The American Wedding makes planning a wedding convenient for all brides across the United States and Canada. It doesn't matter if you're planning a destination wedding on the beach or getting married in the mountains. From Hawaii to Newfoundland, Vancouver to Florida, you can count on The American Wedding to make your dream wedding reception a reality.

I think party favors at a wedding reception can make a huge statement to guests about the bride and groom, but they sometimes get overlooked as not being very important.

I recently saw an idea in the February 2009 issue of Better Homes and Gardens that sparked some other ideas for great wedding favors. If I had it to do over again (which, I'm glad I don't!), I would definitely consider using these ideas related specifically to my hobby: cooking.

There are websites such as BHG.com/tastebook that will help you design your own recipe booklet. You choose the cover design, title, add your photos and recipes and they create it for you. I think this would be a creative, usable wedding favor.

The other idea is to find mini kitchen utensils such as a whisk and spatula that can be tied together with ribbon and a tag with the poem, "Recipe for a Happy Home" (which you can find on the internet).
Either of these can be used as place cards if you're having a sit-down wedding reception. Or you can simply display them in a large stockpot or colander for your guests to pick up on their way out. With so many people into cooking these days, I thought these ideas would be great incorporated into a wedding reception.

If you're not the creative type, there are some great vendors on Wedding and Party Network who have fantastic wedding favors. In fact, many of them have awesome and creative ideas for ready-made party favors related to hobbies that will fit your interests. Any hobby can be a great wedding favor theme. I found this interesting garden theme wedding favor at Claudia's Mementos. This would be a fantastic idea for couples who love to garden.

So if you're not a cook like I am, think about the things you could use as wedding favors that are related to your hobby. If you love it, they will too.

When eco-friendly wedding favors and eco-friendly party favors are high on the shopping list, where do most people turn? For the best quality and service across the entire United States and Canada, most wedding and party planners turn to Plant A Memory.

In the age of eco-friendliness, brides everywhere are going green! All across Canada and the United States brides are turning to people that provide high quality eco-friendly wedding favors and other accessories/decorations for the wedding.

What kind of eco-friendly wedding favors are you in the mood for? Plant A Memory carries many different styles of wedding favors that the eco-friendly bride will love. You can have personalized seed favors adorning the tables at your reception. For a more classy look, try the seed wedding favors in eco-friendly boxes. That's just the tip of the iceberg though. For more great favor ideas, contact Plant A Memory (US) or Plant A Memory (Can). You can also view examples of their eco-friendly favors!

Plant A Memory knows what it's like to be the bride looking everywhere for the right wedding favors but coming up short. That's why they provide their eco-friendly wedding favors to brides throughout both countries. Whether across the country in Hawaii or a local bride in New York/Ontario, Plant A Memory ships the finest eco-friendly wedding favors that brides have ever come across.

Eco-friendly party favors are also a huge hit. Plant A Memory provides these as well along with the same great service that has earned them such an amazing reputation. When you're in the mood for eco-friendly wedding favors that get the crowd excited about attending your party, contact Plant A Memory.

Ask The Celebration Advisor: I need to know who can make me a Halloween wedding cake, as well as favors and Ideas, and decoratons for my wedding. Most particularly the cake. for 200ppl? and a price in Calgary. Thank you. ~ Carmen Turning Robe, Calgary Alberta Canada

Celebration Advisor: Of course you can find all of that and other great wedding supplies in Calgary AB!

In fact, I know of a few places where you can find theme cakes, wedding cakes and (imagine this) theme wedding cakes in Calgary. For starters, try Cake Creations. They're incredible! Their wedding cakes are elegant regardless of the theme. All you have to do is ask! Theme cakes as well as wedding cakes come in all shapes and sizes so be specific about what you want. Just let your wedding cake bakery know the size, general theme, and amount of people eating the cake and you're good to go!

As far as wedding favors and ideas go, that's greatly dependent upon the type of ceremony that you are having. It sounds like you're having a really fun Halloween wedding–congrats! That sounds like so much fun! I would start by speaking with the professionals at Claudia's Mementos. Though not located in Calgary, wedding favors from here are bound to be awesome. They always do an incredible job of hooking you up with the wedding favors that YOU want.

If you want a cool idea to start with for your wedding favors, try this one that my friend is using at her Halloween wedding this year. Our wedding favors are placeholders which are going to be little skulls, monsters, and ghosts with our names written on their heads. It took her a long time to choose those over chocolate cupcakes with vanilla icing decorated like webbing and our names written in red icing over that. Somehow I knew she'd go with the haunted cemetery wedding favors instead! *grin* I'm sure these will taste great with the wedding cake. Have guests bring a sweet tooth!

Wedding decorations aren't quite as tricky. The only thing you really need to figure out is whether you want this to be more like a Halloween wedding or a Halloween party. If you're wanting the more upscale, ask a local Calgary wedding planner to help you come up with something that will celebrate the holiday and the occasion at the same time. If you want more of a party atmosphere, go all out with black tablecloths, creepy decorative lighting, blood-colored punch and other party foods, jack-o-lanterns and other spooky decorations. It just takes a little imagination! If you want some ideas, check out these great Halloween party pictures.

Together, your choices of wedding cakes, wedding favors, and wedding decorations is immense when you use the local  wedding suppliers that you have right there in Calgary!

Thanks for your question Carmen. I look forward to seeing the pictures of your wedding!

Ask The Celebration Advisor: Hi: Regarding Party Favors at a reception only event.

I have a cousin, who just told the bride, that there is a new trend in party favors.  In lieu of giving out party favors, the couple "donate to their favorite charity"

I am questioning this, because, first and foremost, this relative is NOT a wedding planner, nor does she have any background in weddings other then being a "guest."

I desperately need your advice, because the bride is from another country and has selected this "relative" to be her "wedding planner"

HELP  Helen from Los Angeles Ca

Many many thanks.

PS:  We are a American-Japanese family.  And I know that most of the relatives will be expecting a "token" favor.

The Celebration Advisor:

Donating to a charity is a very admirable thing to do.  Many couples are choosing to forgo the wedding party favors in lieu of a charitable donation.  While wedding favors are not a requirement, many couples give favors as a way to thank guests for participating in their day.  Many cultures believe the bride and groom must give guests a token of their appreciation.  Therefore the culture of the families involved dictates the proper etiquette concerning wedding favors.  For example, in Mediterranean countries the wedding favors are Jordon almonds which represent the bitter and sweet sides of marriage.

In the Japanese culture wedding guests are thought to bring luck with them for the bride and groom and thus should be given a gift (favor) in return.  I doubt that a charitable donation as a wedding favor would be deemed an appropriate gift in the Japanese culture.

Although it is nice to have family help plan your wedding, knowing the etiquette that governs all parts of the wedding is crucial.  It is essential that you follow proper etiquette so as not to offend any of your guests. That is why professional Los Angeles wedding planners are well versed in several cultures and their wedding traditions and etiquette.  This gives them the ability to incorporate contemporary fads with cultural wedding traditions.

I would highly recommend that your cousin consult a local Los Angeles wedding planner that can work with your family "wedding planner" to combine cultural wedding favors and etiquette with contemporary ideas.

If your cousin really likes the idea of a charitable donation party favor, I would combine it with a bag of candied almonds or chocolates.  This way the bride gets what she wants without offending her guests.

There are several wedding cake trends gaining popularity this year. These high fashion fondant creations are sure to catch the eye of every guest and make mouths water from miles around. Consider these ideas when meeting with your wedding cake consultant.
1. Black and White Pattern Wedding Cakes. It seems everywhere you look you'll see the Parisian wallpaper trend. So, why not in the wedding scene? This design is very elegant and quite stunning on a round tiered wedding cake. To blend this trend in with your other wedding decorations, use the pattern on other things such as napkins or tablecloth overlays.

2. CHOCOLATE!!! Forget traditional vanilla, switch it up! This year several brides are choosing dark chocolate truffle wedding cakes with beautiful detail and glamour. Give chocolate a chance! If you’re scared of the rich flavor, serve fruit along side such as raspberries or strawberries.

3. No Flowers Needed Just Crisp Details. Arts and crafts has gone chic in the wedding world this year. Crisp lines, exposed stitching and seamstress inspired details top the cake trends this season. Add detail to a light hued cake with vintage fondant buttons and fancy piping for a high fashion quilted look.

4. No Ordinary Shape Will Do. Brides are exploring their wedding cake shape options cakes this year. Oval tiers, cube tiers, and even asymmetric tiers (this can be complicated). These new styles are fresh and creative ways to spice up the otherwise ordinary cake shapes. Some of these new styles do compromise the amount of cake you get. So these might be great ideas for small, intimate weddings.

5. Small Makes A Big Statement. All the rage this year, mini cakes have become popular practically overnight. These mini cakes or personal cakes are part of the wedding decor. They surround the wedding cake and are adorned with a contrasting color to create a visual delight and a tasty treat. Mini cakes can also become gifts for guests. Package these cakes in favor boxes to send home with guests for wedding favors. (Two bird’s with one stone!)

Take these ideas along when you meet with your wedding cake consultant or baker and explore the options of a high fashion wedding cake for your 2009 wedding! Happy eating!

Wedding Favors: Past to Present

Wedding favors have been a wedding ceremony tradition for many years and are still an exceedingly common practice among modern day wedding ceremonies. Though the actual favors have come quite a long way, the etiquette of the wedding favor remains the same. Presenting guests with a small gift as they leave the wedding is a gesture of appreciation for attending the wedding festivities from the bride and groom.

The wedding favors themselves started out as simple and traditional gifts. However, these days unique wedding favors are desired by the bride and groom to add originality and personalization to the wedding festivities. Discover the journey of the wedding favor and the true meaning behind the sustained tradition.

The Wedding Favor Tradition

The tradition of distributing wedding favors as a gesture of gratitude is a very old one. Many believe that the first wedding favor was a bonbonniere which was common among European aristocrats. A bonbonniere is a Read the rest of The Wedding Favor Journey »

Gifts Your Wedding Party Will Love

Summer is undoubtedly wedding season across the U.S.A. Couples are happily “tying the knot.” To mark this occasion these couples often give gifts to loved ones that participate in their wedding. Often family and friends truly go the extra mile to make that wedding a truly memorable occasion – so it is important for a couple to show their wedding attendants gratitude in a special way.

Ideas For Bridesmaids Gifts

What would a bride be without her bridesmaids? Every bride counts on her bridesmaids from the moment she gets engaged to that very important walk down the aisle. Ideal bridesmaid gifts include Read the rest of Wedding Attendant Gifts »

Wedding Favor Trends of 2008
The word is in about wedding favor trends in 2008 and this handy guide is full of tips for finding wedding favors as unique and beautiful as the bride. Whether staying ahead of the game with candy apples and strawberries decorated as tuxedos and gowns, rocking the reception by using personalized concert tickets as place cards, or going traditional with a sachet of rice, wedding favors are a clever and fun way to thank guests for attending by leaving behind a small piece of memorabilia to commemorate the exciting day.

Look for these excellent trendy qualities when selecting wedding favors Read the rest of Wedding Favor Trends Tips For 2008 »