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The Eagle Lake Headlight — News for Southern Colorado County, Texas Thursday, February 16,2006, Page 7
There's a Flower for Every Bride Your wedding day is the perfect
time to stop and smell the roses - or the daisies or the tulips or the hydrangea.
A bride's flower options, from her bouquet to the centerpieces, are virtually limitless. If you're having a difficult time choosing the right blooms, consider the type of bride you are.
There's a perfect flower for everyone. Here are some suggestions depending upon your own personal style.
The Classic Bride Silver-screen star Grace Kelly
comes to mind when you think of the classic bride: Simple, sophisticated and timeless.
She follows all the rules of wedding etiquette, and she takes tradition seriously.
The classic brides' current celebrity role model might be someone like Jessica Simpson, who walked down the aisle carrying a bouquet of stephanotis in 2003.
White roses or stephanotis with
pearl pins in the center are the ideal flowers for the classic bride's bouquet.
The classic woman's bridesmaids carry cascading roses in shades that match their dresses. Her groom and ushers sport rose and baby's breath boutonnieres.
Long-stemmed white roses in tall vases that allow guests to see one another make for traditional, tasteful reception centerpieces.
The Modern Bride This bride is up on all the hottest
wedding trends, and she's more than happy to include them in her big day.
She is in vogue and willing to think outside the box. Debra Messing, the "Will and Grace" star who carried a tall bouquet of calla lilies at her wedding in 2000 to screenwriter Daniel Zelman, is someone the modern bride can emulate.
When it comes to the bouquet, she should consider single-flower monochromatic nosegays or calla lilies in white or a bright color. Calla lilies in various shades - from yellow
Planning Your Wedding On a Limited Budget
From ice sculptures to fancy stretch limos to a wedding dress that costs more than your mortgage payment - with all these wedding temptations, how can you possibly stay on budget and still have the wedding of your dreams?
Wedding experts offer the following tips to keep your budget in-check
Borrow what you can. Know a friend, neighbor or family member who recently got married? Ask to borrow their cake server, wedding slip, veil, headpiece, centerpiece items or even wedding dress.
Become centerpiece savvy. Use candles to spice up centerpieces, such as using votives on top of a mirror with small accents of flowers or balloons.
Have bridesmaids use their bouquets as reception centerpieces, and your wedding ceremony flowers can pull double-duty, too.
Or pile nicely wrapped favors in a bowl or basket at the center of each table.
Factor in the season, day and time. Avoid the busy summer wedding months or the holidays, when prices can be 10 percent higher.
Winter weddings - January through March - tend to provide the best deals.
Consider planningyour wedding on a day other than Saturday to save money, too: Fridays evenings and Sunday afternoons are popular alternatives.
Receptions earlier in the day tend to be cheaper than a dinner buffet or a five-course sit-down dinner, so consider an afternoon tea, cocktail reception, lunch or brunch.
Shop the bargains. Many web sites offer discounted new and used party favors, ring-bearer pillows, guestbooks, etc.
Attend bridal shows to collect special savings coupons for bargains on wedding vendors and rentals.
Some stores may offer discounts for multiple purchases - such as
discounts on your bridesmaid dresses, veil and shoes when you buy your wedding dress there, also.
Look to cheaper alternatives for invitations. Thermography typeset is less expensive than engraved invitations.
Also be sure to watch the weight of your invitations - from the size of the paper to all of your enclosures - so you don't have to double up on stamps.
Consider designing and printing invitations and programs yourself to cut costs. You might opt for cheaper, plain-style wedding invitations and then embellish them by adding ribbon, lace or silk, or dried flowers, say experts.
Get gown savvy. Watch the sales, and buy off the rack. Scout sample sales where you can nab dresses for 25 to 95 percent off regular prices.
Flower power. Consider using silk flowers, which often can be cheaper than real ones and can even be reused to decorate your home.
Mix in berries, fruit or greenery fillers to create large centerpieces or bouquets at lower costs, and use flowers that are in-season. Try a grocery store's flower department, which might offer better deals than regular florists.
Another way to spruce up your locale: Borrow plants or trees from friends, or rent them from a florist.
Affordable photography. Find a photographer who will let you keep your negatives. That way you can avoid paying high prices for reprints or enlargements.
Hire a capable photography college student, but evaluate the quality of the student's work first.
Fancying food. Instead of serving lobster and shrimp, make less expensive foods fancier.
Ask the caterer what other affairs' menus they are preparing on the same day and if you can serve the same items. Caterers might be able to order and charge for the food at discounted bulk rates.
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