Economical Wedding Favors

Here are some tips and suggestions for keeping costs down, or keeping within your set budget.
First and foremost, set out a list of priorities. What are the most important elements you are no willing to compromise on? What are simply preferences? You can take your budget and shift allocations from areas that are not as critical to those that you feel are your priorities and can't live without.
Areas to consider:
The date - November through April tend to be slower months in the Wedding industry. Many halls, photographers, caterers and other service providers will offer financial incentives in the way of discounts to get business. Winter weddings or weddings around the holiday season can be pretty. Snow covered scenery, sparkling little white lights, crimson red poinsettias and the smell of evergreen make for a lovely setting.
Getting married on any day other than a Saturday you may get discounted costs as well. Consider a Friday evening for example.
Guest list and Venue - Scaling down the guest list may enable you to book a smaller and less expensive location for the wedding and more importantly the reception. Without creating conflict if you can limit the list to friends and close family it can end up saving you quite a bit. There are always pressures to 'include' people, some you may not know well at all so you have to decide what can/ will work for you.
Holding the wedding in a home or garden can allow you to buy your own alcohol, hire your own bartenders and these can both save you a great deal of money. On the flip side, you have to factor in renting tables, linens, chairs, and bar glasses. Using a hall for both the wedding and reception can save everyone the hassle of negotiating from one location to another. Many hotels will offer reductions in room rates for guests or work out an 'all-inclusive' deal for you.
Decorations and Flowers - Choosing flowers in season or a location that offers built in décor, like a vineyard, greenhouse or garden can save on expenses. Fewer fresh flowers will be needed in a natural setting like these. Arranging some silk flowers for the reception or having a friend who's got some talent with this do it for you can help you stay within your budget. Borrowing items is always cheaper than renting or buying so don't be afraid to ask around. Friends are usually more than willing to help.
Another easy cost saver is to use your favors on the table as decorations. Attractive candles for example, can work very well for this dual purpose function.
Favors & attendants gifts - There is enough for you to do around the time of the wedding and do it yourself favors can create more stress. Many stores and online stores offer volume discounts and a wide selection of gifts and favors to suit any budget. With so many great things to choose from you are sure to find something perfect for you to give as a memento. Don't be afraid to call the store or speak to the manager - they want your business as much as you want the perfect favor.
Brides Dress - Two words: Samples and Sales. Dress shopping well ahead of time will allow you the opportunity to shop for good deals and may allow you to save up to 80 percent. Discontinued designs can be stunning but offered at a huge reduction to allow retailers or online stores more space for new items. Fabrics of poly satin will look expensive but be priced far less than a silk fabric. You can have a beautiful dress without blowing the budget. Don't rush, give yourself time and see what some smaller stores with less overhead have in house as well.
Food and Alcohol - Evening weddings or mid afternoon weddings can eliminate the need for a sit down meal. Offer an afternoon tea with light menu for an afternoon setting with finger sandwiches and mini pastries or hors d'oeuvres and a sweet table in the evening. This should be specified on the invitation so guests know what to expect.
Designated drinks can work well with either setting. Consider a bar with beer and wine and a 'signature cocktail'.
Invitations - Craft stores, stationary shops and home laser printers offer a simple solution for smaller weddings. If you are having a larger reception, look at simple material. You can still order through a printer but keep in mind that high end material, colored inks, and multiple inserts all cause the price to escalate as well.
The key is planning, but keeping in mind a few simple suggestions and tips you can have the wedding of your dreams that doesn't empty your wallet.

1/ Sight: This would be the most obvious sense you want to stimulate but there are many ways to accomplish this that some may completely overlook. Here is a list, probably not even close to being complete, but suggestions and ideas that can get the ball rolling for you.
- Themed weddings or having an idea that you base all the details around can add an element of fun and give you a lot of directions. Whether you are playing the part of Cinderella, or a having a beach party the theme wedding decorations are available, along with many other ideas you can select from.
- Flowers, ribbons and bows, used during the ceremony held by the bride and her attendants, on the end of the rows or pews that line the aisle, the front of the church or chapel, as wedding reception table decorations and scattered throughout the hall on food tables and where the guests registry and/ or gift table is located and integrate into the wedding reception decorations.
- Lights can add a really romantic flare as wedding ceremony decorations and wedding reception decorations. The flickering lights can bounce through the room whether they are at the altar in a candelabra or a unity candle set, and really set the tone as wedding reception table decorations as well. The lights are light tiny little fireflies across the entire room, scattering little shots of light. When the lights are dimmed and the party begins the full impact of these little tea lights will take effect.
- Dry ice used to create 'smoke' from the base of the dance floor is very dramatic and for the couples first dance it certainly makes a statement.
- Fireworks add a real bang to the celebration for sure. If you have the permits and an outdoor location these will generate a sight that is truly spectacular.
2/ Sound: Simply put what the couple says as they take their vows, if they tap into their creative side and find their own words, remember to try and keep it all very simple. The reception is the time to 'roast' each other - the ceremony is where you are using words to show your seriousness and commitment to your partner and the terms of the marriage contract.
- Music is key to this day, and it should reflect your style. If the venue permits you can step WAY outside the box with processional and recessional choices. Don't get caught up on tradition if you don't want to. Make choices for the ceremony and reception that impact you and make you feel good.
- The fireworks as a signal or church bells ringing are other sounds that will launch your guests into the mood to celebrate the occasion.
3/ Smell: This sense will be stimulated at the reception in several ways, but keep in mind the aroma of something can be pleasant or be overpowering.
- Food is usually always a desirable smell unless you are planning to serve something that is rather bizarre. Please don't choose liver and onions, or creamed corn (okay that's for me) or anything that has a really strong smell that could completely overpower the sweet and pleasant smells that exist in the room.
- Flowers can certainly offer some pleasant fragrances. Also with your choice of Candles you can have scented tea lights or floating candles that you are using as wedding favors lighted to use as part of your décor as well. Some may even consider scented sprays however be careful not to overdo this. Speaking as someone who has found herself choking on perfume in line at the grocery store or on cologne being stuck on a bus, some people are more sensitive than others and some are less sensitive. Err on the side of caution; it is better to have it 'light' than too over powering.
4/ Touch: The sense of touch may be a little harder to impact but it's not impossible. Using texture that give a feeling of romance as part of your wedding and reception decorations can make this possible. The first things that pop into the mind - feathers! The pen to sign the register can have a feather plume. Feathers in colors or delicate white like the bride can be integrated into the wedding reception table decorations or any of the decorations for the wedding for that matter. Velvet and faux furs worn by the bride, or the bridesmaids also appeal to the sense of touch. It's not as obvious but it's achievable.
It's like going to an amusement park, you turn left and right and you are drawn to things based on how they look, how they sound, the sweet smell and the idea of the soft touch.

When it comes time for a woman to plan her wedding, her thoughts and all conversation tend to revolve around this one aspect of her life. This event is huge, and involves a great deal of time and attention to insure that things go as planned. The wedding ceremony can be greatly dictated by the church or hall but the wedding reception tends to be the area that involves the greatest amount of creativity. Many brides have friends that find themselves in the same situation. Having friends that are planning the details of their wedding reception can prove to be a valuable resource.
It is unlikely that two brides will have the exact image of their 'ideal' wedding ceremony and wedding reception be the same. As one shops for ideas they may come across items that would be perfect for the other and share what they have found. A wedding table decoration in a color scheme or theme that would suit their friend is certainly worth sharing. With two or three girls shopping the scene for wedding decorations, favors, and all kinds of assorted accessories you have expanded your resources two or three times.
What if you both want the same thing? What's wrong with that? Okay, the same dress may be a problem, or to give the exact same wedding favor if there will be some overlap in the guest list. Aside from that, so many of the other details of the wedding reception or wedding ceremony most people won't even notice or remember the details enough to realize it's the same thing. Even with the wedding favors, there are so many options that if you both have the same 'idea' you can choose two different. An example would be bottle stoppers, there are dozens to choose from and people can use more than one so if it's what you really want, then go for it. There are always ways to work around similarities in choices and quite frankly if it's something nice, then it can be nice for both of you. It's not a competition! Sharing ideas, or listening to others ideas can expand your thinking and broaden your choices. Some may have some wild and crazy ideas and everyone will have and opinion on how you should handle your wedding ceremony and wedding reception but in the end, you make the decisions. Voice your thoughts and wishes with friends so you can expand your resources for shopping. Don't be shy, after the wedding your conversations will likely still be on track too. Setting up the house, ideas for easy meals and cooking or a good place to order take out. The next step is handling morning sickness, details of the birth, and every expression the baby makes as well as some details of having a new baby that only another new mother will understand and appreciate - diaper changing. Eww!

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