Tag: budget

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Wedding venue checklist: Tips to help you recognize if the site is right for you

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When you look for your wedding venue, it is often difficult to ascertain whether a site is right without seeing it all decked up. To make the right choice, you should have a fair idea of what you want it to do, and how it can be transformed to suit your wedding plan. For many couples, this may be the first time they are hosting any event on this scale, and so it can be very confusing.

To help you do it right, here is a checklist of the various factors the site must have.

Fits your budget

Set aside a realistic amount for the venue charges. If you are getting married in a church or house of worship, you will also have to factor in the donation for using the space.

Look at places where the rent is within your budget. Ask about any other charges or overheads in addition to the rent, so you know whether you can afford it. Also ask if the package includes services like an on-site co-ordinator or staff for serving cake and wine, or whether you will have to pay separately for these services.

Practicality of the venue

The location should be easy to access and your guests shouldn’t have trouble getting there. It would be best if both the ceremony and the reception venues were nearby or in the same location. This will be most comfortable, but if it is not possible, consider arranging transportation between the venues. See if you can have parking at the first venue and make transport arrangements to the reception.

The size is right

Look at the maximum number of people the site can hold. Don’t forget to accommodate for your band, musicians, buffet table and aisle when determining the maximum capacity. Only then will you get a clear picture of whether all your guests will fit comfortably in the space. If it is a small wedding, avoid a big venue. Being mostly empty will reduce the overall impact.

The rates for using it overtime

Venues are either charged by the hour, or for a certain slot of time. Ask about the extra charges you will have to pay if you wish to access the venue for a few extra hours, before or after the ceremony. Also ask for their rates if your wedding party extends late into the night.

Provision for disabled access

Check whether the venue allows for disabled access. It is likely that there will be older guests in your wedding party. The availability of washrooms on the ground floor would be convenient for them. Also, are there any outdoor seating arrangements that your wedding guests can use, if they have to wait before entering the venue?

Don’t forget to consider the practicality of the venue for the wedding look you have in mind. It wouldn’t be fun negotiating your way up and down a staircase, if you have chosen a mermaid-style wedding dress or a heavily layered one. So choose accordingly.

The more boxes you tick off this checklist, the better suited a venue will be for your wedding. For more wedding tips and ideas, keep visiting us at Best for Bride.

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Planning a Wedding on a $5000 Budget

Weddings are expensive, but they don’t always have to be. If you have an extremely small budget of $5000, there are still some fantastic ideas that will allow you to have the wedding of your dreams without going way over budget. Try out some of these tricks below so that you can have a beautiful wedding on a $5000 budget.

Your Wedding Gown

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While this is one area that you will probably want to splurge on, you can easily find a beautiful gown at a discounted price. Instead of looking for fully priced options, try looking at the discount racks at your local bridal store instead. You will be able to find beautiful options that won’t break the bank.

Décor

Décor can easily eat up a huge portion of your wedding day budget. However, you can also make some fantastic choices simply by making the decorations on your own. There are many ideas posted online that will help you and you can find tutorials on them as well. Supplies can be bought at any art supply store. Don’t forget to check out the clearance sections in these stores as well.

Invitations

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Ordering wedding invitations can be extremely expensive and can cost up to $1000 just by themselves. You should always look for discounted options or consider making your own invitations instead. There are many fantastic designs that you can print yourself using fancy cardstock and your printer. To find the cost savings, calculate the price that it will cost you to print them at home; including the price for ink, and compare that to the price you would pay to order them instead.

Reception

The reception is another place that can take a huge chunk of your budget. However, with some smart choices, you can easily knock down the amount of money that is taken up here. Consider having a simple reception where only cake and punch is served. If you are going for a full meal option, think about finger foods instead. For larger meal options, choose dishes that are made with chicken rather than steak because they are more affordable.

When deciding on drinks for your reception, you can also save money in this area as well. Instead of going for an open bar that will allow you to go way over budget, try some alternatives instead. By offering alcohol only during certain times, like the wedding toast, you will be able to save a great deal of money. Just make sure that you have some other options, like water and tea, prepared instead.

Entertainment

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Another thing to keep in mind is the entertainment that you choose. While you can book a DJ for around $500, an entire band will cost closer to $1000. Making smart choices when planning your wedding, can allow you to have a beautiful wedding at a fraction of the average cost.

Don’t forget to stop by Best for Bride for all of your wedding day planning options. From discounted wedding gowns to the perfect décor, you will be able to find it all here.

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3 common wedding dress mistakes brides make and how to avoid it

Your wedding dress is one of the most important dresses you will ever wear in your life. So, making the right choice is a tough, but important task. Not all brides enjoy a fantastic experience choosing their wedding dress, and many have regretted their decision at a later time.

Let us look at 3 of the most common mistakes brides make when choosing their wedding dress, and how you can avoid it.

Buying your dress too early, before actually planning your wedding

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You may be tempted to do wedding shopping the minute you are engaged. However, this isn’t wise. Many factors determine the right choice—the venue, theme of wedding, weather,budget, etc. Shopping without a definite idea of what would be practical based on the time and location of your wedding, could cause you to regret your choice later.

Remember, not all wedding dresses are equally suitable for all situations. So, purchasing a formal wedding gown for an indoor ceremony may be the wrong choice if you finally decide on an outdoor ceremony. Wait till the wedding details are more or less decided, before shopping. You should buy your wedding dress 6-9 months before your wedding, to allow sufficient time for alterations and changes.

Buying a wedding dress that’s in the wrong size

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You have a whole year till your wedding, and you are determined to lose several pounds before it. So, you might as well get your wedding dress a size or two smaller than you currently measure, right? Wrong! Many brides make this mistake, and later struggle to fit into a dress that is too tight.

Remember that it is easier to take in a gown, than adding additional inches to it. If you live up to your weight-loss plans, you can always have your gown altered to fit your exact measurements at the time. If you can’t, you will be glad you chose a gown that actually fits you.

Not accounting for the extras when you buy your wedding gown

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When you fix your wedding dress budget, always account for the extra money you will have to pay for fittings, accessories and customization. It is unlikely that you will find a dress off-the-rack, that will perfectly fit you. It may have to be adjusted to fit your measurements or the hemline may have to be moved up to be at the right length. In some cases, you may want to add sleeves or add accessories like a waistband to improve your look.

All these come at an additional cost. Apart from this, you will have to spend money on wedding accessories like jewelry, shoes, tiaras and veils. When all these are finally paid for, many brides find that they have gone over-budget.

When you create your wedding dress budget, divide it into the actual money you can spend on the dress, and the additional amount for the rest. Tell your bridal consultant the actual amount you can afford on the dress, which includes the charges for all the fixes, and she should help you find one that fits your budget, while meeting your other preferences.

Now that you are aware of the common mistakes, you are ready to find the dress of your dreams and be happy with your choice. For more wedding tips and advice, and to find the perfect wedding dress for your big day, visit Best for Bride.

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Tailored to Perfection: 3 Essential Tips for Seamless Wedding Dress Alterations!

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Every bride has a unique body shape. So, buying your wedding gown is just the beginning, as any gown you buy off-the-rack will require a few tweaks, to make it look as though it was made just for you. Once you buy your gown, you have to go through the difficult task of altering the dress, so it fits you perfectly.

As your wedding dress is a complicated and fitted garment, you will often need more than just one alteration session to get it right. So, it is essential to buy your gown sooner than later, and fix your appointments early, so your gown is ready in time for your wedding. Here are some tips to help you make the task easier.

Buy a dress in the optimal size

Wedding dresses come in a range of sizes, and you should buy one that fits you closely. This will help you attain your perfect fit with minimum changes. Every change you make will cost money. So, find one that fits you best and you will have to spend less.

To do so, first refer to the measurement charts of the collection, and choose the size that matches your measurements. Also compare with dresses in sizes just bigger and smaller, so you can see which of these suit your height, bust, hip and waist measurements best.

Even if you plan to lose weight before your wedding, don’t make the mistake of ordering a gown that is smaller than your current size. Taking in a gown is easier than adding inches to it. Don’t risk struggling with a too-tight bodice, should you be unable to shed those extra pounds on time.

Pay attention to the parts you want to retain

When a dress is altered, parts of it may have to be taken off. Say, the reason you love your chosen dress is for the contrast of its dainty wide scalloped hemline with the plain skirt, but the dress is too long for you. After the alteration, if the hemline is moved up and the motifs flow from your knees instead of at your calves, you lose the feature you loved the most. So, choose a gown that is measured for your frame, to ensure that the dress will finally look like you intended it to.

Take all your accessories along and request custom changes 

If you want the gown sized right, make sure you attend your alteration sessions in shoes with the same heel height and similar innerwear to what you will be wearing on your wedding day. Buy your wedding shoes before your first fitting, so you can wear it when you try your wedding dress.

If you feel the strapless design you chose is too difficult to handle, and you feel like you’ll be tugging at it all day, you can ask your seamstress to add straps or detachable sleeves. However, do this only if you feel uncomfortable even after the bust fitting is done.

Similarly, you can take off layers from a skirt that feels too bulky or have the neckline or back dipped further, if you choose to. A good seamstress can help you customize your dress to look just like you want it to.

Whether you want to buy the right wedding gown, or need a good alteration service, visit Best for Bride for the right solution.