Impress Your Wedding Guests with Inexpensive Centerpieces and Favors
Lacey |
Thoughtfully composed by Lacey Filed under: Decorations, Wedding Dress |
When planning a wedding, it becomes immediately apparent that the budget gets consumed by the “big ticket” items. These will include, among others, the bridal gown, reception dinner, wedding cake, photographer and/or videographer, along with a myriad of rental and service charges. Sometimes, there is less money to devote to the niceties that guests will see and remember – centerpieces and favors, to name but two. The easiest way to save money when planning a wedding is to find ways and means of doing things yourself. It is unnecessary (and sometimes wasteful) to engage the services of professional decorators when, with forethought and perhaps a little help from family and friends, many beautiful ideas can be accomplished quite simply. Here are a few suggestions:
- Use inexpensive candles to bathe your wedding in its best light:
Whether a wedding reception is taking place at the beach or in the most formal hall, candles are one of the easiest and most romantic choices for table centerpieces. From a dollar or thrift store, purchase a good supply of thin white taper candles. Then, choose containers that will reflect and support the theme of the wedding, e.g., clay pots for an outdoor or beach theme, clear glass vases, boxes or bowls for a more elegant look. Fill the containers with sand and then push clusters of taper candles, one by one, deeply into the sand to give them stability. Place the containers in even rows the length of each table or group several in the center of round tables.
An alternate, yet equally economical, candle centerpiece can be created with plain white floating candles and citrus fruit (lovely for a summer reception). Choose large glass bowls and fill them with water to within an inch or two of the rim. Cut oranges, lemons and limes into neat, thin slices and float a mixture of the slices, along with the floating candles, at the surface of each water bowl.
- Guests enjoy food favors:
Offer a cute, eye-pleasing update to the traditional Jordan almonds wrapped in netting. Purchase a supply of pretty yet inexpensive cupcake liners. These need not only be paper liners – they are also available in metallics which will complement many wedding themes. Select some coordinating ribbon and a supply of either the Jordan almonds or other favorite small candies. Some people enjoy chocolate kisses for these favors. Cut a length of ribbon and lay it on a flat surface. Place a cupcake liner at the mid-point of the ribbon and fill it with candy. Bring up the ribbon ends and tie a bow atop the candies. Using some plain, heavier-weight card stock, create small gift tags with the couple’s names or their married initial and the date. Attach a card to each favor bow.
If the bride or someone in the family makes jams or chutneys, these can also be excellent favors. Creatively incorporate them into the reception. For example, serve small thumbprint cookies, filled with the same jam, during the late-night coffee service and offer pretty decorated jars alongside for each guest to take home. Chutneys can be worked into the hors d’oeuvres or appetizers and also offered in decorated jars.
The key to saving money when it comes to wedding planning is to first take stock of one’s talents and also those of family members or attendants that have expressed willingness to help. Putting everyone’s creativity to work can substantially ease the bottom line and start the bride and groom off on a healthier financial footing.
If you enjoyed this, make sure to subscribe to my RSS Feed
Similar Posts by Saving for a Wedding:
- None Found
