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

1. Gratuity! Gratuity is usually added to the final bill for your caterer. However, it is also polite to tip waiters/waitresses, bartenders, church musicians, and any others who you think deserve it.
2. Taxes! Don’t forget to include taxes in your budget for the dress and tux, flowers, food, and beverages. You may think you are paying $20 per person and end up paying over $25!
3. Overtime! Many wedding vendors such as photographers and DJs charge overtime fees. You never know until the day of your wedding how long you are going to need them so make sure to work this out BEFORE your big day!
4. Food for your wedding vendors! Don’t forget to feed your wedding vendors! Your photographer, videographer, DJ, etc. will probably be at your wedding for more than 6 hours. Unless you want them to leave to get dinner, make sure you have a meal for each of them.
5. Postage! Some invitations can cost up to $2 for postage. If you are sending out 100 invitations, that adds up to $200. Make sure to leave some room in your budget for stamps.

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?

Dear Heather,
I am always all for doing whatever is going to make you and your fiance happy on your wedding day. However, you should always show your guests respect. In other words, do what makes you happy without horribly offending your family. I would suggest completely eliminating liquor. You can serve champagne with the toasts and then maybe offer beer and wine. Also offer cider or something similar to those who do not wish to drink. This way, those who want to drink will (in moderation) and those that are against drinking don’t have to.

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!

It may sound cheesy, but you need to speak from the heart. Ask yourself the following questions, and let your heart do the talking.
- What did you think of your fiance when you first met?
- What made you make the decision to get married to him/her?
- What makes him/her desirable to you?
- What are some of your best memories together?
- What makes you sure that you can spend the rest of your life with him/her?
- What do you see for yourselves in the future?
- What promises can you make to him/her?

Let those questions and the emotions that they stir up guide your writing. And keep in mind the following things:

Don’t be generic; be SPECIFIC! The worst thing that you can do for your vows is say things like “your love is magical” or “you had me at hello” the whole time. Talk about things that are specific to your relationship. Make it as personal as you can.

Keep it short and sweet. There might be a million things you want to say to your future spouse, but the altar is no place to ramble. Say the things that you feel are most important.

Don’t be afraid to show your sensitive side. This is no time to hold back your emotions! Say how you feel and again, speak from your heart.

TOP 5 WAYS TO GET THE GROOM INTERESTED IN WEDDING PLANNING

Most men are simply not going to be as excited about or interested in planning a wedding! So for you brides-to-be, here are some tips for getting your honey involved.

1. Let him be in total control of something. One thing that may turn off a groom-to-be from even talking about the upcoming wedding is when his bride won’t let him make any decisions. Ask him his opinions about music, seating, colors, etc. and if he feels strongly about something, let him have his way.

 

2. Tell him that he can decide on what kind of groom’s cake he wants all by himself. You can even let him decide the music that is playing while it is being cut. He can arrange it all himself, which is one less thing you will have to worry about.
3. Play to his strengths. If he loves music, get him to help pick a band, a DJ, or the songs that you want played. If he is into technology, let him create a wedding website that tells your guests all of the information they need to know about the wedding. Find something that he likes, and get him excited about it.
4. One thing a man is always going to be concerned about is MONEY! You most likely won’t have any trouble getting your guy to sit down and create a budget with you. Make sure you have some prices of local wedding vendors handy to show him the average costs so he won’t underestimate the price. (Check out our wedding business directory—which is currently being populated).
5. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And nothing motivates men quite like food can! Let him take a part in choosing the menu for your guests. A man is not going to tolerate eating something he does not like on his wedding day! Also, you won’t have to drag your fiance to cake tastings. It’s all about finding things to motivate him to get involved.

And remember, once your man puts effort into planning your wedding, he is not going to want to let anything fall through the cracks. If you let him get excited about it, you will have him helping you with all the mundane details in no time!

My fiancé and I can’t decide on a first dance song. He wants “You and Me” by Lifehouse, and I want “You Had Me From Hello” by Kenny Chesney. We have been arguing about this since we started planning our wedding in October, and neither of us is budging. I like “You and Me,” but for some reason, I just picture us dancing to “You Had Me From Hello.” What should we do?

Katelyn

Hi Katelyn,

It sounds like you both are really passionate about the songs you have chosen. I have a couple of different suggestions for you. You can always start from scratch and compromise on a new song together and play the others later. Or you can decide that one of the two will be your first dance then the other can immediately follow. You can have the DJ announce that you two will remain on the floor dancing, and the guests are now welcome to join.

Although I must say– It sounds like you are pretty lucky to have a guy that cares enough about the wedding planning to be so passionate about a first dance song. If you like “You and Me,” maybe you could let him have that song first then dance to “You Had Me From Hello” next. Another option would be telling your guests the situation, and having two first dance songs. I’m sure they would find it pretty humorous!

My last idea is to have the wedding guests vote on the “dispute” last minute. It might be a cute twist