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

And they are having a sale… buy 3 shirts, get the 4th free. Also, free shipping for orders over $50.

They have original and hip designs that any bride-to-be would love!

Our top 5 designs:
- Just Hitched (complete w/ cowgirl boots)
- Bridezilla ROAR!
- Homegirl of the Bride
- Groom- Under New Management
- Team Bride

Leave a comment, and let us know.

BM= bridesmaid or best man
MOH= maid/matron of honor
GM= groomsmen
FH= future husband
FW= future wife
FG= flower girl
RB= ring bearer
MOB= mother of the bride
MOG= mother of the groom
FOB= father of the bride
FOG= father of the groom

Any others?

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.

Jewel tones! Your wedding colors are emerald green, sapphire blue, amethyst purple, turquoise, or topaz yellow… These are beautiful colors to accent your gown. And your bridesmaids will look lovely with silky jewel-toned dresses.

Gray is in! 2008 brought you the chocolate brown color with blues and pinks. While those colors are still in, a trendy idea for 2009 is replacing the chocolate color with a slate gray color. This matches your jewel tones beautifully.

Natural decor! Incorporate fruits such as green apples, grapes, or strawberries to put a modern twist on your wedding decor. Or add stones or sand to the bottom of your vases to add an earty feel.

Nature-inspired invitations! Going along with the natural theme, simple designs with leaves and flowers will be big this wedding season. White invitations with one accent color such as blue or purple are especially popular.

Dramatic accents! Big, dramatic statements like large bows on your dress or different-sized vases as your centerpiece add a modern flare to your decorations.

Recession-friendly ideas! 2009 is not going to be most people’s best year financially so we predict that there will be some money-friendly wedding trends coming…

• Wedding websites where people can RSVP online: Most brides aren’t going to want to spring for the extra postage of an RSVP card. Try this idea instead.
• Centerpieces doubling as wedding favors: Think candles or plants! See, you can be trendy and money-conscious!
• Smaller wedding cakes: A lot of brides are ordering smaller wedding cakes and serving other types of dessert or another cake to their guests.

Let us know how your 2009 wedding goes! Send us your wedding story at weddings@somethingbluebook.com!

Make sure you don’t make these wedding-planning mistakes!

1. When planning their special day, brides tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves, and everyone involved, to make the day absolutely perfect. What you need to remember is that even though your wedding is one of the most important days of your life, it’s just ONE day. Savor the days leading up to your wedding as well. Your engagement is a very special time. Don’t spend it stressed out and anxious! Besides, stressing leads to overeating, which is never good for a bride-to-be.
2. A lot of brides tend to overspend in a big way. I have seen wedding budgets double over the course of a long engagement. Remember, you do NOT want to start your marriage off broke. Think ahead, and make sure you won’t need the money to buy a house, car, or pay your bills before you spend it.
3. We hate to say this, but it needs to be said! Too many brides buy dresses that are a size too small. A lot of times, wedding dresses tend to run small, so if you wear an 8, you might need a 10. I know that it would boost your confidence to squeeze into a smaller size, but your fat pockets hanging out just aren’t flattering. You will feel better about yourself if you look good– who cares about a number on your dress. (Just cut out the tag!) Plus, you want to be able to dance the night away with your new hubby without feeling too sucked in!
4. Once you get your mother and mother-in-law involved, they will have you inviting everyone you’ve ever met and never cared to see again to your wedding! Brides tend to go crazy inviting too many people, which is a bad idea for several reasons. First of all, you will end up spending too much on invitations and postage… especially when you invite those people that you know have no intention of coming. Secondly, you are paying for a plate of food for each person you invite. Third, you don’t want to waste an hour of your reception (especially if you are limited on time) greeting people whose names you don’t even remember!
5. Sometimes, stress causes a bride-to-be to start obsessing over the small details– the color of the napkins, the font on the placeholder cards, or whether to throw rice or birdseed. Before you start going crazy on the details, ask yourself these question: Does this specific thing really matter to you? Will you remember it in 5 years? Will it make or break your wedding day? If you answer no, then let it slide.
6. One of the most common mistakes of wedding planning is when brides-to-be become too controlling. Remember– it is your fiance’s wedding day too! Men act like they don’t care, but they do– and they SHOULD! They most likely won’t care about flower colors or whether or not you curl your hair, but there are certain things that they will want. And they should be at least partly involved in the wedding planning process.
7. When people get overwhelmed, they tend to put things off. And that is why many brides procrastinate! Take advantage of your engagement to get things done a little bit at a time. Plan ahead, and take care of the major things way in advance so that if there is a problem, you will have plenty of time to deal with it!
8. A classic mistake brides-to-be make is ticking people off who are involved in the wedding planning. Your wedding planner, mother, sisters, and bridesmaids are there to help you, but don’t let the power go to your head. Remember—you can catch more bees with honey than you can with vinegar!
9. Some brides will never admit to this mistake… but it happens all the time! They choose ugly bridesmaids’ dresses to make themselves stand out! DON’T LIE… you know it’s tempting! But the only person it really makes look bad is you… and if you don’t want them to steal the show, don’t give people a reason to gossip about them.
10. It is CRITICAL that you do not make this last mistake… Don’t get so involved about planning your wedding day that it makes you forget what this day means. This is the beginning of your life together. Make this time exciting; you won’t regret it.

Take our “Are you a Bridezilla” quiz if you are guilty of some of these typical mistakes.