The Real Budget Breaker: Your Guest List

This post is looong overdue and I feel it very valuable to share it with you or anyone you know that is getting married.  Over the next few weeks, many wedding professionals will be consulting couples as they prepare for their upcoming Spring and Summer weddings.  I have had my share to come through my office and I how I like them, they have wonderful ideas for their upcoming nuptials.  I love to hear the unique ideas that come forth and how a couple met and why they need to do this and that to make their day extra special.  I love to see the many pictures cut and torn out of some of the most popular wedding glossies that brides keep tucked away in their new planning binders.  I also love to hear that they want their weddings to just be plain ol’ FABULOUS.  All of that is music to my ears.  So what’s the problem, you ask?!  There’s two problems actually, the budget and the guest list. 

Most surveys in 2010 found that the average wedding cost is $27,000. What?!?!  You’re probably thinking, “no way, I’ll never pay that for a wedding” But, wait.  You just may find yourself doing so when you are preparing to have an entire day of partying with close to 150-200 (or more) family and friends.  Let me make this clear, first of all, I’m not at all saying that in order to have the wedding of your dreams that $27,000 is what it will take.  I want to show you that the number of people that you are inviting will escalate the cost one way or another.

When you factor in the venue(s), attire (even if the groom’s tux is free), all stationery (DIY or custom), favors, catering (let’s face it food costs no matter how or who you conjure up to prepare it), decorations, transportation, cake, rings, photography, videographer, YOUR planner, and entertainment, you will be at around $80-130 per person.  It may sound good when you say out loud, “the food is only $16 per person”….well, when you do say it like that, it does sound wonderful.  But, that’s just for your guests to have a guaranteed plate for that particular price.  It doesn’t mention all of the other things that go into “wooing” your guests (and let’s not talk about taxes and staff fees, mmkay?!) And, if you are using flowers (real or faux), they cost, too.!  With more guests, the more tables and chairs you need, the more décor you will need, the more food and drink you will need, the more favors you will need, should I keep on?

So, before you look at your potential Planner’s fee (okaay?!) or your photographer’s quote (great quality photos will last a lot longer than the décor, food, and favors) and squawk with buck eyes, please note that these are the least of your worries.  It’s the ever-so-growing guest list that will cause you a headache at the end of the day.  You are paying so why not know the the truth and how to effectively save you money.

This I know all too well.  I’ve seen couples that took this advice and were pleased with the money saved by cutting their guests list in order to have what they wanted and I have witnessed couples that just wouldn’t budge and now are still paying the cost after the wedding is said and done because they wanted a LARGE wedding.  What’s the saying, more money more problems?  You better believe it.

So, if you are willing to take the advice from a professional, this is for you.  When working up that magical list, create an A-B-C list.  The As are the primary people that you know will be there like immediate family and close friends (even those that will certainly travel to be with you), the Bs are those that may possibly come but if they didn’t, you would understand (ie: ex-coworkers, co-workers), and the sweet Cs, these are the people that you have to dig deep to even remember.  The Cs are long lost school friends, friends of friends, old neighbors, facebook friends (even those that you haven’t even met in person), the entire church, your Greek letter organization, or people you just find on the street to come to your wedding (well maybe not the latter one) but you see where I’m going.

So let’s see what this can look like with a small budget (I hear this number a lot so I’m using it).  For a budget of $5000 and a guest list of 200 people, this is what the numbers will look like (I’m also including the average % for each category):

Reception (always the biggest chunk) (but actually close to 50%) 40%- $2000,

Attire-10%- $500

Photos/Video-12%- $600

Music-8%- $400

Flowers & Décor- 10%- $500

Stationery- 5%- $250

Rings- 2%- $100

Transportation- 2%- $100

Gifts (bridal party, wedding favors)- 3%- $150

Ceremony Site (donation and clergy fees)- 3%- $150

Other (tips, marriage license, taxes, hair/nails)- 5%- $250

You might be able to squeeze in a wedding cake for about $100.  And, with $10 per person allotted for the Reception, you will have to get very creative with your menu. *side note:  you and your bridal party have to be included in the 200 or else your budget is really shot*.  Not too realistic, is it?!

I urge you to take a look at your budget and your guest list.  These two bad boys can make you or break you.  Am I saying that you can’t have a really nice wedding on a budget, of course not!  Many of my couples are on a set budget and we make it realistically work and the style of their wedding is not compromised.  We just plan smart.  And, that’s what I want you to do.  Plan smart.

If you have to move your date down the road a little bit in order to save more or have more time to pay for the things that you want, by all means do it.  Many couples are now planning longer engagements so that they have the time and resources needed to plan their dream weddings. 

So, here’s to smart planning and beautiful weddings.  Just don’t let your guests compromise that for you.

Happy Planning!

Holiday Sparkle...for You!

Holiday Sequin Bow Bib Necklace

The month of December holds a lot of holiday parties for co-workers, family, and friends.  And, I'm pretty sure you are on many of those invite lists.  

What to wear may be your question as it would be mine so I decided to add some festive sparkle by adding my own "ornaments" to a simple black dress or cardigan without having to purchase multiple outfits for this season's shindigs.  You'll save more by changing your jewelry and shoes versus entire "fits". 

 Just a few places to purchase affordable holiday sparkle, Etsy, Dillards, Zappos, and Emitations.

Jessica Simpson Holiday Swag Necklace

Tish's Quick Holiday Decor Tips

You have probably started to deck your halls and make them all festive for the holidays, right?!  Well, if not, I have a few tips that can get you going.  

1.  Stick with a theme.  Or, go with your theme from last year and spruce it up.  Just make sure you have your colors or actual theme (i.e. snowflakes, penguins, ice) chosen.  If you have to do a little shopping, this will make it easier for you to go to the exact items you need.

2.  Recycle.  This will save you big.  Add to what you already have.  Need fillers or a few more ornaments?  Just buy these few items than purchasing a whole new "Christmas Decor Wardrobe".

3.  Try Mesh.  Deco Poly Mesh is wonderful and such a great filler.  You can purchase it from your local florist or decorator's store.  Use it on wreaths, trees, and garlands.  It is so easy to use but if you need a little help, ask the florist (or decorator) to show you a few tricks before you leave the store.

4.  Fragrances.  Fill your home or office with the fragrances of the Holidays.  Do this by adding potpourri or scented candles and oils to your space.  An immediate warmth will feel your space.

5.  Don't underestimate ornaments.  Fill glass jars or platters with ornaments of various sizes.  Place them on your coffee table, end tables, mantle, or bookshelves.  What a simple, chic, and beautiful way to decorate.  Be sure to check your local dollar stores before heading to your speciality shops.  We want to save, right?!

6. Shop your back yard.  Pine cones, acorns, branches, oh my!  I'm certain you have those near by.  And, not to mention tons of leaves...  Get a can of gold (or any color) spray paint and go to town on transforming these natural elements into chic decor items.  Place them in a bowl or platter and add some pillar candles and I think you have a masterpiece.

7.  Candle Clusters.  Use lots of them in clusters of various sizes.  If you are like me and have small children at home, I'd use LED battery operated candles.  Remember those items you're going to spraypaint?  Place these candles in the center and there you go.  

8.  Ribbon, Ribbon, and More Ribbon.  Christmas time is not a time where Less is More.  You can go BIG during this time.  Add fun ribbon of various sizes, colors, or patterns to your wreaths, tree, swags, and garlands.  

9.  Coordinated Gifts.  Keep your theme going when you begin to wrap your gifts.  Let your gift wrap also be a part of your theme.  Add that ribbon to it and what a great extra this will be to your holiday decor.

10.  Get Carried Away.  Carry your theme throughout your space by adding candles, swags, or smaller trees to other rooms.  You can bring smaller holiday doodads into other rooms such as your kitchen, bathroom, and home office.

Our New Offer!!!

We are happy to now offer custom water bottle labels to you.  For almost four years, we have been creating these chic and inexpensive favor options but has never marketed them until now.  They are perfect for any season and almost any occasion.  As we update our portfolio with our designs, we will post them here for you to see along with ordering information.

Please read before ordering:

Our custom labels are $12 for 24.

The standard size is 2"x 8.5".  Different sizes may be requested prior to ordering with us (and based on availability)

Please measure your water bottle prior to ordering.

The labels are for decorative purposes only and should be used on clean and dry bottles.

You can choose from a label in the album or request a custom design.

water bottle is not included

What we need

The names, type of event, colors and/or theme, quantity of labels, and shipping address

Proofs

A digital proof will be sent to the email address that you provide at the time of ordering (be sure to add us to your contacts to avoid mail going to your "junk" folder).  Up to two (2) revisions can be made with your design.

Ink colors may slightly vary on actual product from that of your digital proof.

Payment

We gladly accept payment using PayPal and this service accepts major credit/debit cards...and is SECURE.  An electronic invoice will be sent to the email address that you provide.  

Shipping and Tax

Please allow up to 10 business days to receive your order once it is approved.  Rush orders can be arranged for an additional fee.  Shipping is $5.00 for labels and $2.00 for an additional item.

Arkansas residents:  An 8.25% sales tax will be added along to your order along with shipping.

How to Place Your Order

Send an email to:  create@thepinktearose.com.  Include the names, type of event, colors and/or theme, quantity of labels, and shipping address.  A confirmation email will be sent to you to verify your order.

Visit us on Facebook to see more of our designs.

Shopping for your Bridal Party…after Christmas!

Have you already decided on what you will get your bridesmaids as “thank you” gifts?  If you’re in the business of saving some cash, consider purchasing their gifts at the "after the Christmas" sale.  You can find some great gift ideas that will be marked 50%-75% off.   Most department stores (and our favorite discount stores) will have a large variety of cosmetic bags and totes, fragrance and cosmetic gift sets, bath and body products, and some jewelry that would be perfect for gifts.  Don’t forget the fellows, too!  This would be a great reason to bring along your boo so he can grab some items for his boys. 

Don’t wait to stand in a crowd of people to decide what you will purchase.  Browse the stores now when you’re out and about and make note of what you will look out for.  Use your camera phone to snap photos of the items that you want to remember to go back and purchase and jot down the price (it’ll be less after Christmas if it’s a holiday gift item).

Are you planning on taking advantage of after Christmas sales to purchase nice gifts for less for your Bridal Party?  

Tish B.

Keep it Simple and Sassy (KISS)

Keep it Simple and Sassy (KISS) is what I like to say. Sometimes simple is more and can make a big statement without being overdone and expensive. These centerpieces are simple and sassy.

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Tish B.

Decorating with Curly Willow

Curly Willow is a curly branch that is being used in floral centerpieces for special events or for decorative accents for home or office. It's great to use in taller vases as filler and to add height and is quite inexpensive. Used as a filler or placed in a tall vase alone, curly willow has a chance of its own to give a chic and modern look to your next event.

Image: Love and Splendor

Image: Project Wedding

Image: Lucie's Events

Other types of Willow Branches:

Corkscrew

Twisted

Straight

Prairie

Pussy

Tish B.

Warning Comes Before Destruction

Bride-to-bes, please prepare yourselves for this post because this is not a post that some of you have crossed my path (physically and virtually) would not want to read right now. I really want you to know the facts of some costly decisions that you can run into without "real" professional opinion...okay facts.

I am surprised at the number of brides that want to save money by letting a friend, family member, co-worker, church member, best friend's auntie, etc. "plan" their wedding. It is great that the volunteered person stepped up to help you plan your dream wedding. But please be warned that this can result in an expensive, store bought, chaotic, unorganized mess! Now, there are some nonpros that tend to get the job done but the chance is very slim to none that they will really know how to get it done.

Wedding planning looks like a glamorous job, but only at the end of the meticulous planning, roundabouts with venues, endless vendor negotiations and contract reviews, long hours charting timelines and budgets, extensive last minute problem solving, and sore feet is it a somewhat glamorous job. These sweet people that enjoy the fact that they get a chance to implement what they saw on TV or read in tons of magazines should probably read this, too. TV, magazines, and baby's birthday parties does not qualify one to be a wedding and event planner. Even if you only planned your wedding and it turned out great doesn't qualify you to be a wedding planner. What does? Experience, Knowledge, and Discernment.

If you are a bride on a budget and/or limited planning time, you really need to raise your hand so a professional wedding planner can come your way. It's enticing to hear "the promises" of what a close person or for that matter, a wedding planner, has for your invitations, decorations, and favors. But will they deliver with the spirit of excellence. Will your wedding be a mere copycat of another's wedding or the dreadful style of an unorganized wedding that you have been going to since you could remember?

Here are just a few questions that you should ask yourself before ruling out hiring a professional wedding planner: (now that I look at it, ask these questions before hiring a specific wedding planner, too) Please beware of bogus "planners"as well.

1. Have you seen previous work?
2. Will your "volunteered" planner (VP) know how to minimize costs without looking cheap and "homemade"?
3. Will you see the decorations before the big surprise on your wedding day?
4. When looking for a dress, is the only store that pops into your VPs head, David's Bridal?
5. Does your VP know the visible format of a ceremony and the reception? What's the invisible format? The stuff that is bound to go wrong behind the scenes. Despite distractions, will VP still be able to begin on time?
6. Vendors. Who in the world do they know to use? Do they have various vendors that are within your price range and style?
7. Does VP even know that round and banquet tables are not referred to as circle and rectangle?
8. Will you see the timeline and format of the reception before you're at the reception and they're still setting up?
9. No contract with VP, you say? Uh-Oh. Enough said.
10. How "really" available will VP be to you when he/she has to take their kids to soccer, go to the grocery store, take a nap, or who knows what else?
11. SCENARIO. The day of the wedding, one of your bridesmaids broke the zipper on her dress, the flower girl lost one of her shoes, the programs have not arrived at the church, your father is lost in traffic, the cake arrived at the church because the reception venue is locked, and guests are steady arriving and walking around talking and your maid of honor is woozy from the wild night before. First question: Will you (the bride) know that any of this mess is going on? Second question: What in the world will your VP discreetly do about it? keyword discreetly.

I, along with fellow planners, has had to step in and rectify a huge mess when a bride has relied on her volunteered planner to get things done. You end up spending more money cleaning up a mess that could've been prevented. I do feel bad when I get a phone call of a teary bride that has tons of questions and unmarked checklists because of the inexperienced doings of the VP. But, like the title of this post suggests, warning comes before destruction and you need to be in the know before you have horrific memories of your wedding for years to come.

Consider yourself warned.

Happy Planning,
Tish B.

Eco{nomical} Dresses, pt.3

Forever 21. I wish. But one realistic thing I do know is, that they have fab dresses (and beyond) for great prices. The holiday season brings a lot of parties and celebrations so why not do it top notch style at an affordable price. Come on, the party dresses are under $30. You can't afford to not atleast check 'em out. Start your party dress search here...

Happy Shopping!

Tish B.

Eco{nomical} Dresses, pt. 2

The search for fab and budget savvy dresses continues...

These bridal gowns can be found at JCPenney.

Twist Back Wedding Dress, $129.99

White Cuff Ballgown, $49.99

east5th Cuff Ballgown with Scarf, $99.99

Triple Bustle Wedding Dress, $129.99

Happy Shopping!

Tish B.

Eco{nomical} Chic Bridal Gowns

We hear it almost every day on the news about the US being in recession. I'm a half glass full kinda girl and believe that you can look a million dollars (minus the millions). Loving to save a bride a few dollars here and there was my mission in finding savvy and stylish bridal gowns for about $100 bucks and I did. I even found some great fabulous party dresses for the Holidays that make your wallet sing and not scream. I'll post my finds for the next few days. Yippee. Enjoy.

These dresses are designed from Target, the Isaac Mizrahi bridal collection.

Eyelet Sheath Gown - Igloo, $90.99

Matte Jersey Halter Gown - French Cream, $69.99

Full Ball Skirt and Lace Shell, $24.99 - $49.99

Strapless Sheath Dress - Igloo (White), $62.99

More eco{nomical dresses} tomorrow. Happy Shopping, Diva Darlings!

Tish B.

Fab Find {on a budget}

I absolutely love to save a client a buck a two {in style} and with these gorgeous flutes from CB2, money and style are complimented. The Valencia flutes are only $4.95, yes you read it right, 4 dollars and ninety-five cents!!!! These would look great sitting on your bridal cake table, given as gifts, or used at your holiday party. I love 'em!

Tish B.

The Budget Savvy Bride

This morning on Good Morning America, there was a segment on how to have a fabulous wedding on a shoestring budget. I absolutely love to get tips, read articles, and hear from others on how they saved money while planning their dream wedding.

Most of the brides that come my way have always dreamed about their wedding day but don't want to sacrifice their entire bank accounts to see it become reality. I, too, can relate to the budget conscious "diy" bride because 5 years ago I was one. So when I meet with a client and she {and he} expresses that they want to do the best with the budget that they have, I am willing to take this challenge on.

Especially now that our country's bank account is getting a bit low, it is time to rethink ways to save money than to spend IT ALL for wedding planning. With creativity, research, and help from some resources right in your family and friend circle, you can have the wedding or event that you have always wanted.

Here is the article from Good Morning America regarding the segment that was aired this morning. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Parenting/story?id=5942102&page=1