Trying to throw a small yet elegant wedding on a low budget? Here’s an idea for a wedding that should cost you $1000 or less!

I have gotten some “Ask Tinka” emails about throwing a wedding as little as $1000 so I decided to respond with an idea I have.  Afterall, everyone deserves to celebrate their wedding– even those who don’t have $15,000 to spend!

If I were getting married with a small budget and wanted to have a simple wedding day with only close family and friends, this is what I would do: I would have the wedding and reception at my home or the home of a close relative or friend. It’s cozy and best of all, FREE! I would wear a simple white sundress and have my groom wear something casual like khakis and a white shirt. Then, instead of a traditional buffet or sit-down dinner, I’d serve coffee, hot chocolate, and cake! Get your favorite songs together to play on your stereo and have a designated area for dancing. Keep the reception short– about an hour or two and maybe serve wine and beer.

That sounds just delightful to me

Before your engagement…

• Make sure you are ready to get married! Take the quiz now.

After you are engaged…

• Take engagement pictures.
• Send out engagement announcements; announce your wedding in the newspaper if you’d like.
• Have your engagement party.

12 months before your wedding day…

• Pick a date and time for your wedding.
• Buy a planner with a calendar, to-do list, and place to put all your ideas, coupons, etc.
• Begin to discuss your wedding budget with your fiance and family. Look at the average costs of some wedding vendors to get an idea of your budget.
• Research local wedding vendors and write down their contact information.
• Start looking for sales and deals for wedding dresses & other wedding-related items.
• Make sure you don’t start off on the wrong foot by making these common wedding planning mistakes.

11 months before your wedding day…

• Start interviewing wedding planners if you are going to hire one.
• Begin a guest list draft.
• Enlist your groom to help. If he’s not interested, read these tips for getting the groom involved.
• Pick out your wedding colors.
• Begin looking at ceremony & reception sites.

10 months before your wedding day…

• Finalize your wedding budget with your groom and your families. Need tips for saving money? Read about money-smart wedding planning.
• Decide on your wedding party. Need help deciding who should be included?
• Sit down with your family to work on the guestlist.
• Choose a wedding planner.
• Decide on a wedding theme if you are going to have one. (Ideas: Romance, Going Green, Winter Wonderland) 
• Meet with different wedding vendors to discuss pricing options, etc. Read about little known ways to receive wedding discounts!

9 months before your wedding day…

• Decide on your ceremony & reception sites and reserve them for your wedding day.
• Decide on a wedding officiant, a florist, and caterer.
• Decide on a DJ or musician. Read about how to choose a DJ that is right for you!
• Create a wedding website so your guests can find all the information they need in one place.
• Decide on what style wedding dress you want to wear. Not sure? Read about wedding dress styles or take the quiz: Which style wedding dress flatters your figure?

8 months before your wedding day…

• Plan your honeymoon and have your groom reserve the hotel rooms, etc. Having trouble deciding where to go? Take the quiz: Where should I go on my honeymoon?
• Finalize your guestlist
• Go with your bridesmaids to look at their dresses and get ideas
• Meet with wedding cake designers and go to tastings
• Decide on and hire a photographer. Read about what to look for in a photographer!
• Decide on and hire a videographer. Read about why you should hire a videographer!
• Rent any equipment like chairs and tables that you may need

7 months before your wedding day…

• Order save-the-date cards or magnets
• Get all your guests’ addresses
• Order bridesmaids dresses & accessories
• Decide on a baker and order your wedding cake. Need help deciding what kind? Take our quiz: What type of wedding cake fits your personality? 
• Think about what your groom and groomsmen will wear. Suits or Tuxes?
• Shop around for invitations and work on the invitation wording

6 months before your wedding day…

• Make a final selection for a wedding dress
• Choose your veil and accessories to match your dress
• Decide what your parents will wear
• Finalize your honeymoon details
• Request off work if you need to
• Send out save the date cards
• Purchase or rent groom’s and groomsmen’s suits or tuxes
• Finalize the menu with the caterer
• Register! All your wedding registry questions are answered here.

5 months before your wedding day…

• Order or make your wedding favors. Here are some unique ideas.
• Reserve hotel rooms and make accomodations for out-of-town guests
• Start thinking about your make-up and hair
• Order your wedding invitations
• Create a wedding day timeline
• Make your wedding night plans & reservations
• Begin thinking about the rehearsal dinner

4 months before your wedding day…

• Plan your rehearsal dinner; decide on a location, menu, etc.
• Reserve a car, limo, or your desired wedding transportation
• Think about your wedding music (first dance song, father/daughter dance song, etc.)
• Book a hair dresser and make-up artist
• Help your maid of honor make a bridal shower guestlist
• Shop for your wedding bands

3 months before your wedding day…

• Have your wedding shower
• Make sure your dress is tailored
• Finalize your wedding music
• Address the envelopes for your invitations
• Buy your wedding rings
• Have the maid of honor and best man make sure the wedding party has purchased their outfits and accessories
• Designate people to give toasts at the reception
• Make sure you have started an exercise routine and diet if you need to lose a few inches before getting into your dress! Here are some tips to tighten your tummy before your wedding day.

2 months before your wedding day…

• Buy your wedding party their gifts. Check out some cool wedding party gift ideas.
• Write your wedding vows if you so desire. Read about the secret to writing great vows!
• Send your wedding invitation 6-8 weeks before the wedding
• Start making a final guestlist as you begin to hear back from guests
• Fill out any documents needed to change your name
• If you are going to have your rings engraved, do so
• Fill out any documents needed to change your insurance information after married
• Create and print wedding programs
• Buy lingerie or undergarments before final dress fitting
• Send thank you notes for gifts received at your shower

1 month before your wedding day…

• Work on your seating chart
• Make or buy placeholder cards
• Get anything you need before your honeymoon (passport, shots, etc.)
• Do a final fitting for your dress; begin a diet and exercise routine if necessary
• Confirm all the details (arrival time, cost, etc.) with your wedding vendors
• Get a marriage license
• Send rehearsal dinner invitations
• Order alcohol
• Buy a guestbook

2 weeks before your wedding day…

• Take care of all the details like what you will use to cut the cake, toasting glasses, etc.
• Prepare welcome baskets for out-of-town guests
• Purchase thank you notes
• Finalize the menu, etc. for the rehearsal dinner.
• Finalize your seating chart.
• Give final headcount to caterer, etc.
• Do a hair and make-up trial run.
• Plan the activities for the night before your wedding.
• Help your wedding party plan the bachelor and bachelorette parties if they need it.

1 week before your wedding day…

• Get checks ready to give your wedding vendors.
• Make sure you have something old, something new, something borrowed, and (most importantly to us) something blue.
• Make sure you have a garter.
• Get a manicure, pedicure, hair cut, eye-brow wax, etc.
• Pick up your wedding dress and the bridesmaids dresses
• Confirm all the details with your florist.
• Give the members of your wedding party their tasks for your special day.
• Pack for your honeymoon!

The day before your wedding day…

• Go to the spa to get a massage!
• Hold the rehearsal dinner.
• Give your wedding party and parents their gifts.
• Attend the bachelor or bacheloretter party.

After your wedding day…

• Have someone take your wedding dress and keepsakes if you are going straight on your honeymoon.
• Keep the top layer of your cake for your 1st wedding anniversary.
• Go on your honeymoon.
• 6-8 weeks after: send thank you cards. Not feeling motivated? Read the lazy bride’s guide to sending thank you cards.p
• Start your life with the one you love!

by Guest bloggers Gary Latimer (www.shoreshotphoto.com) and Maria Sharron (www.mariasharron.com)

1. Experience:  With photography, there is no substitute for experience.  Photography is more than picking up any camera, pointing, aiming and shooting!  Hours upon hours, years upon years go into the training, trial-and-error and perfection of photographic art!  A photographer who has limited experience may be able to capture images in one particular setting, however, a photographer with true experience will be able to evaluate nearly any scenario and be able to properly expose and/or light the subject or setting. Continue Reading »

If you don’t have a wedding planner, get yourself a wedding planner! That is, an organizer like the one above.

Step 1: Buy a planner with an area for notes, a to-do list, and a calendar to dedicate SOLELY to wedding planning.

Step 2: In the notes section, put all of your ideas… what flowers you want, your colors, dress ideas.

Step 3: On your to-do list, list everything you still have to do before the big day.

Step 4: Mark important meetings, deadlines, and other days on your calendar.

Step 5: Go through bridal magazines and begin ripping out pages that give you ideas or that include discounts. Stick them in your planner.

Step 6: Start collecting coupons for bridal shops and wedding vendors and put them in your planner as well. (Check out our previous article: 8 Little Known Ways to Get Wedding Discounts).

Step 7: Keep up with it! Make sure to look at your calendar everyday and cross items off your to-do list as you complete them.

Want a wedding reception no one will soon forget? In a lot of ways, a great DJ is the key to a great reception! Find out how to choose one that is right for you. Continue Reading »

Whether you’re a romantic at heart, or favor bold, artsy trends, getting married in February gives you plenty of leeway for choosing the palest of pinks to the boldest reds and maroons. Have fun choosing the colors that match your personality!

Bold Red

Red is the obvious and dramatic color of Valentine’s romance – the traditional color of the heart as it relates to love. You can play on this color without being limited to the bright red of Hallmark Valentines. Deep burgundies and maroons are just as romantic.

For the very daring, think red for your wedding gown. Red gowns have been trendy in Europe for several years. If solid red is too shocking, consider a red and white gown, maybe with a dramatic red cape or silk pashmina.

You can also choose a different color to work as you basic theme shade, and just have small touches of red as accents in your flowers, bridal party attire and décor. Deep colors tend to be more dramatic than pastels – think regal blues, shimmering gold, deep greens and rich ivory shades all set a lovely backdrop for small suggestions of red.

Perfectly Pink

Pink is a very traditional color, but we tend to the think of wedding pinks as once-upon-a-time cotton candy pink. Think “Steel Magnolia” décor consisting entirely of “pepto-bismal” pink everywhere. Bold pink can be a lot of fun, especially paired with brown or black and it doesn’t have to have a punk-rock feel to it.

Pink tulips, pink roses, even a pink satin garter can all add a perfect touch. Decorate with a romantic touch – soft lighting, gauzy fabrics, flowers, candles, and plenty of atmosphere.

If you are shopping for a wedding dress but don’t know what style you want yet, let this article educate you!

A-Line: An a-line wedding dress has a snug bodice. The skirt flows down to create the shape of an “A.” I would say that this is probably the most popular style. Modern brides often wear a strapless a-line dress. Continue Reading »

Are you and your fiance planning on writing your own wedding vows? Are you totally lost? Read below to find out how to write memorable vows for your special day! Continue Reading »

In recent years, the sand ceremony has come to replace the more traditional unity candle ceremony during the wedding service. Originally, during sand ceremonies the bride and groom would toss handfuls of sand together into the wind. The concept was that the sand was now combined and unable to be separated, symbolizing unity and eternity.

Today, it is more common to use a small alter to hold the sand containers so that the couples is left with a keepsake. You can purchase sand in various colors (to match your wedding color scheme, for example) along with two smaller glass containers for the bride and groom and one larger glass container representing your marriage, relationship and new life. Continue Reading »

Short wedding dresses! A BIG 2009 trend is having a short wedding dress and short bridesmaids’ dresses. So don’t be afraid to show a little leg! Styles include above and below-the-knee dresses.

Trendy hairdos! If you want to wear your hair down, try big, dramatic curls or flowing waves. If you’d rather wear your hair up, try a messy bun. Let us know if you are wearing your hair up or down in our January 2009 poll. Continue Reading »