Table Centerpiece Idea #1 Citrus Vase and Flower Combo

A visually pleasing centerpiece can be as simple a combination of citrus fruits, a clear glass vase and flowers. It is simple to achieve a stunning look. You have the option of using slices of the citrus fruits for your wedding centerpiece or whole citrus fruits as shown in the photo.

Method 1: Sliced Citrus Fruit Wedding Centerpiece

Step One: Cut up slices of citrus fruits. Lemons and orange work well.
Step Two: Place the slices inside the vase. Try to arrange the fruits so that the slices are facing outwards.
Step Three: Place some flowers into the vase fill with water and voila your centerpieces are ready.

Method 2. Whole Citrus Fruit Wedding Centerpiece

Step One: Use a selection of limes and lemons to fill a vase as shown in the photo on right. Experiment with different positions, such as using a yellow base of lemons.

Step Two: Place and arrange flowers into the vase.

step Three: Just add water.

photo source: http://www.hopeinthekitchen.blogspot.com

Get creative with your centerpieces without skimping

Wedding centerpieces are very important as it is the focal point in setting the right mood for the occasion. Choosing the right centerpiece to co-ordinate with the rest of the wedding decor may seem expensive. This need not be the case, as with a bit of creativity and right materials you can have elegant centerpieces without spending too much money.

1. The types of centerpieces you choose must harmonize well with the other wedding decor arrangements. The best types are still floral, candles or edible flower bouquets although you can have some unique, creative pieces on your tables. Your centerpieces must be based on the size of your tables.

2. One unique and cost effective centerpiece idea is to have your bridal bouquet and bridesmaids’ bouquets double up as centerpieces for some food tables. The mini bouquets of the female family members can also be used to enhance the reception table. Vases should be placed ahead of time in such a situation.

3. You can have your church ceremony flowers transported back to the reception area for re-using the arrangements in the reception.

4. Another idea could be to arrange your favors on the guests’ tables along with candles.

5. Candy buffet designed for guests is another popular trend. The candles are wrapped in small organza bags and stored inside the glass candy buffet jars. You can actually arrange these strategically on your guests’ tables as centerpieces. These edible favors can really do a good job of centerpieces as well as being sweet.

6. You can float candles and flowers in large bowls with some beads and fish gravel at the bottom. You could also arrange lots of colored candles in jars, photo frames of the bride and groom and mini favor boxes as centerpieces.

7. Try using uniform colored orchids placed in vases as centerpieces. These can be used on their own without other flowers and they spell chic and elegance all the way. Besides, orchids bloom for longer duration so this is good investment even after the reception is long over.

8. Arrange different sizes of pillar candles to create a rich and romantic feel. These can be scented or unscented but ensure that the burn time is sufficient through the reception. You can even have fruits, flowers and green plants arranged around these candles for a warmer look.

9. You can rent or buy topiaries which are generally meant for placing on the ground but you can find smaller ones for centerpieces. Have these wrapped around with white tulle and fastened with a bow, and create an ethereal centerpiece with some candles arranged near them.

Once you have assembled and created your centerpieces which are unique, creative and unforgettable, you can rest assured that your guests’ will get into the right mood of the setting. Take care that your centerpieces do not block out the view or inconvenience the guests. Ensure that they will still be able to hold conversations across the tables without being blocked out.

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About the author: Alia is a blogger by profession. She just came from the wedding of her close friends. Beside this she loves travelling and exploring new places. She recently shared an article on must visit honeymoon destinations.

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Elegant favors: Get a wow from your guest

Wedding favors are usually given at the end of any wedding reception to applaud the attendance of the guest present in the party. While selecting any gift, you can showcase your guests with a feeling of being considerate to them with these elegant favors. You are often remembered for the elegant favor you gifted your guest at your wedding. However, despite all the importance it has in any wedding reception, it is considered to be the most neglected one to be seen in any wedding. If you have a wedding at your place and if you are perplexed about what favor should you consider, this article would be of a great help. Try these elegant options.

Stemless personalized 9-oz wine glasses: You will be certainly blown off having a drink in these stemless glasses. These can be personalized with your chosen design, wherein you can put your name and wedding date with eight different rich colors. Therefore, what you get is a different elegant favor wherein you can have your favorite beverage for the guests to enjoy.

Lucky Elephant tea-light holder: You can gift your guest with Indian style wedding favor. The elephant with raised trunks are believed to bring a nice future. Your guests accepting them would certainly enjoy this token of love and appreciation from you. And get them away with a hope for a good fortune to have at their place.

Glass photo frame/place card holder coasters: Known for being rich in aesthetics. Truly an elegant piece in white and black color, the photo frame cum place holder coaster appears an excellent piece for your table. Your guest would be indebted to have such a wonderful favor having rich beauty and a practical choice.

Champagne bucket timer: This can be called an elegant favor where elegance and intelligence culminates. It makes you’re your table rich with its silver toned beauty found over the reception table. Evident with a silver finish, this little glassy miniature steals the show when discovered at any table.

Tea-light holder: Indeed a most gorgeous favor to give away your guests. These cups embarks with attached saucer and the teacup, is the right size to carry a single tea light. Certainly, this piece can be called as mind blowing choice to make.

Final words: Giving away these small and elegant favors are called as token of gratitude and love which you showcase to your guest when they make their presence at your wedding reception. If money is not a problem, you can have whole lot of wedding favors; however, with limited budget too you can embark with inexpensive gifts for your guests. You cannot slash down your budget when you are going having your wedding gown or any other important element of wedding. However, wedding favors are the ones where you adopt the policy of frugality. At this point of time, the above enlisted wedding favors discussed are not only elegant but affordable too. Hope you find them useful, especially when you have your wedding in the coming future.

 

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About the author: Alia is a blogger by profession. She just came from the wedding of her close friends. Beside this she loves travelling and exploring new places. She recently shared an article on must visit honeymoon destinations

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The T-Mobile Royal Wedding

This video is a couple of months old now, but thought I might share it again to help you get through those Monday blues. Regular readers may remember that a few years ago the Dancing With the Stars did a copycat dance with its contestants

Well a couple of months ago T-Mobile recreated this dance (although different music) using Royal look-alikes in honour of the royal wedding and even today I still get a laugh out of it.

Help! My friends and family keep dictating to me who they should sit next to at ‘my’ wedding!

I was recently talking to a bride who was feeling overwhelmed with the prospect of planning the seating arrangements for her upcoming wedding. She didn’t know how to begin and was afraid of seating people who might clash next to each other. Adding to her stress, were friends and family requesting to sit next to certain people. This had resulted in her making promises that she was not certain that she could actually keep.

The first thing I told this bride, was that she needed to have a response ready for her friends and family who were asking for special seating requests. Let them know, that the bulk of the seating arrangements have been predetermined by grouping families, couples and co-workers together and the rest of the arrangements will be sorted at a later date with you and your partner.

Alternatively, you could tell your friends that due to your large workload planning the wedding, you have delegated that task to your maid of honour, bridesmaid or mother-in-law you believe that they have finalised the arrangements.

It is important that you do not promise anyone that you can accommodate their seating request. Even if you are fairly sure that you can do so, plans always have a way of changing. Additionally, if your other guests find out that you have been accommodating other guests, they too might ask you to be seated next tot certain people.

Book Your Wedding Reception in Your Hotel

Some couples are now choosing to hold their wedding reception in the hotel in which they will be spending their wedding night.   The benefits of this being, is that the couple will be checked into their honey moon suite early on in the day, and do not need to worry about missing the check in deadline after the reception.

Ideally, you should be able to negotiate a package deal which will include the reception venue and honeymoon suite.  Ensure that you get all early negotiations in writing, to avoid problems later on.

3 Ways to Save Money on Your Wedding Bouquets

Planning a wedding can be an expensive task, yet with a little thought and planning you can achieve your dream wedding on a budget. One area of wedding planning in which you can save money with a little planning is your wedding bouquets.

You can have a beautiful wedding bouquet without spending a small fortune by considering the following tips.

Reduce the Size of Your Wedding Bouquet
1. One way to still have the flowers of your choice without spending a small fortune is to cut down the size of your bouquet. A small bouquet can still be as stunning and is often more effective that a larger bouquet.

2. Reduce the Size of Your Bridesmaids Bouquet
Another option is to leave the bridal bouquet in its original size and reduce the size of the bridesmaid’s bouquets. Aesthetically, this can be a great look.

3. Ditch the Wedding Bouquet – The Single Rose
Alternatively, you could ditch the bridesmaid’s bouquets completely, and have them each carry a beautiful single red rose down the aisle.

Wedding Venue Idea #6 The Botanical Gardens

Its picturesque setting and the sweet floral aroma in the air, makes the botanical gardens an ideal choice for many couples to hold their wedding ceremony and in many cases is quite inexpensive.

As getting married at the botanical gardens is always a popular choice, you will need to book well in advance. Most gardens request at least 3 months notice. Some gardens will only allow one couple per day and you may need to work around their schedules as some require special events to only take place outside the gardens official opening hours.

Questions To Ask
What time can my ceremony occur?
What is the fee?
Is the fee a flat rate or an hourly charge?
Are there any additional charges for a photography and video permit, or is this inclusive?
More Information
Brisbane City Botanic Gardens
Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens
Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney
Botanic Garden Perth
Botanic Gardens of Adelaide
George Brown Darwin Botanical Gardens

7 Tips For Choosing a Wedding Reception Venue on a Budget

Are you looking for tips to reduce the cost of your reception venue? For many engaged couples planning a wedding, choosing the reception venue will be one of the biggest decisions that they will need to make, as for most couples the  wedding reception venue is also responsible for the biggest portion of their wedding budget.

If you are looking to hire a wedding venue on a budget, take a look at these  great budget conscious wedding  tips that may end up saving you money in your wedding planning budget.

1. Host an off-season wedding. Hotels and banquet halls generally charge higher rates during peak tourist season, as they know that their premise will be in more demand.

2. Getting married on any other night other than a Saturday night will generally ensure a cheaper rate.

3. Don’t mention the word ‘wedding’ when calling for initial quotes as this usually guarantees a mark-up, just casually ask for a quote on a party or an event.

4. Non-traditional locations are becoming more and more the norm. Leave no stone unturned in your search for a cost-efficient perfect venue. Many wineries organize tours of their vineyards and facilities. Always try to liaise with the manager of the venue as they can offer the best deals. Don’t be afraid to haggle.

5. To save additional costs provide your own table decor and centerpieces.

6. Get an itemized quote for the reception venue to ensure you know if there are any fees if the reception runs later than agreed. This may also help you to trim some areas of the reception that are an unnecessary cost.

7. Some venues offer cheaper rates if you book their reception hall just for the day. This would mean a morning, or early afternoon ceremony with your wedding reception to finish late afternoon/early evening.

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Do-It-Yourself: Wedding Favours (Bonbonniere)

Wedding Bonbonnieres are small gifts that are given out to each guest. The cost associated with this can be expensive, which is why many couples opt to make their own. Depending on the number of guests attending your wedding, this can be very time consuming, which is why you might like to consider holding a  ‘bonbonniere working bee’ with your bridal party.

One of the simplest (and more budget friendly) bonbonnieres is to put some confectionery like sugar coated almonds inside an organza bag. You can opt for traditional white sugar coated almonds in a white organza bag or go for something a little  more brighter, with coloured candy almonds in bright coloured organza bags.

Organza bags can be bought quite cheaply from craft stores. Inquire with the manager to see if you can get a discount price for buying the bags in bulk.

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