Category: Entertaining

On any given day in America, a small child is dreaming of their wedding day. They might imagine ice sculptures or a multi-tier wedding cake. As fantasies meet reality, especially with many couples paying for the big day themselves, some aspects must change to meet the budget. Read on to discover ways to save on your big day:

Consider reception halls

Venues are the largest expense of a wedding. The location, the reception venue, the ceremony site, and transportation to and from the ceremony can account for $19,163 (The Knot) of the total cost or 54 percent of a wedding in America. If the backyard isn’t your style, consider reception halls. Many of them will offer price discounts on certain days and some even allow you to bring in your own catering.

Halloween is just around the corner. There is no better way to enjoy the spookiest time of the year than by making some fun Halloween treats!

There are many things we love about Halloween, but mostly we look forward to all the fun and spooky things to eat!

We’ve decided to compile five Halloween treat recipes for you and your family!

Halloween Peanut Butter Cup Popcorn by Barbara Bakes

Here is a fun recipe that not only looks fantastic but also tastes great! This yummy recipe from Barbara Bakes is quick to make. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and salty, so be sure to give it a try.

With all the excitement that accompanies wedding planning, it can be easy to lose track of expenses. Seventy-two billion dollars are spent on weddings in the United States each year according to SoundVision, and Forbes revealed only 26 percent of couples stay within their budget. It’s safe to say that most couples need some financial advice when planning their wedding to ensure the costs of their big day don’t push back other long-term monetary goals. Many couples choose to purchase a house together after the wedding, and exceeding the wedding budget can mean delaying this next step. Follow these crucial tips to plan a wedding without getting in over your head.

Implement plans to start saving

As soon as you are engaged, start putting a little extra away each week. Determine what you can cut back on to save up for the day of your dreams. For example, maybe you won’t eat out as often, or you’ll reduce your clothing budget. Keep the end goal in mind and these simple sacrifices for the sake of saving won’t be so bad.

Establish a budget and stick with it

There’s no point in having a budget if you don’t plan on staying within it. The best financial advice you can get is to establish a reasonable budget, one that allows you to fulfill your wedding daydreams, and stick with it. Make a list of needs and wants for your big day. When you find something you’re willing to splurge on, you can refer to your list to see where you can cut back in other areas to accommodate the additional expense.

Evaluate costs of different elements

Once you’ve established a budget, use a wedding planner budget tool to help determine the cost of different components. This tool allows you to see how much different elements of your wedding will cost. The data can be used to determine where you may be overspending so you can refine your wedding plans to fit your finances. This wedding planner budget tool also helps map out activities.

Look for Savings

If you have a general idea regarding the cost of a wedding, consider budget-friendly alternatives to enjoy some savings on your big day. For example, most venues charge significantly less to host a wedding on a weekday or onsite. This could or could not impact the arrival time of attendees, so you may want to look at starting and finishing the event at a later time. Another option is to skip the venue altogether by hosting a frugal backyard wedding. Save on favors by making your own with these DIY wedding favor tips. Likewise, cut down on photography costs by recruiting a friend or someone from your extended network that is an aspiring photographer.

Determine how you’ll pay

The more expensive your wedding is, the more likely you’ll be to put things on credit. While borrowing money is an option, especially when you need a lot of it, it will have to be paid back and depending on the lender, there could also be significant interest. Take this into consideration when determining your wedding budget.

Think about your plans

Amid the craziness of wedding planning, it’s easy to forget that anything else exists. However, once your big day comes to an end, you will want to start your new life together. Maybe that means buying your first house, or saving money to start a family. If you spend all of your money on the wedding, you won’t have a nest egg for the future.

Once your big day is over, you don’t want to have massive bills following you for many years to come. Follow the financial advice provided to have the wedding and future of your dreams.

How would you spend $35,000? Would you put a sizable down payment on your future home or travel the world? Some are choosing to spend that much on the pricey 24-hour experience that has become the American wedding. The Knot released its 10th annual The Knot 2016 Real Weddings Study, revealing that the average cost of a wedding is at an all-time high of $35,329.  Spending more money won’t make your ceremony memorable; in fact, you can use a more modest budget toward your wedding and still be able to make it a day to remember. Backyard weddings are a great way of doing just that, here are some great backyard wedding ideas to help you plan your big day while maintaining a modest budget.

Bohemian

Backyard weddings almost demand a bohemian theme. In the fresh air, you can offer an earthy vibe by showcasing natural elements. This budget-friendly option takes advantage of the flowers you already have and serve local produce at the reception.  The trick to choosing a bohemian theme is keeping everything simple. Use subtle accessories to enhance the natural beauty of the outdoors, such as string lights, candle-lit lanterns and repurposed vintage décor. Keep your flowers bright and your accents rustic. Consider dedicating specific areas to mindfulness lounging. Place some bohemian furniture throughout the backyard, layer them with throws, and place some rugs on the ground and enjoy the festivities of the day while being surrounded by nature.

Rustic

Farms, barns and ranches are venues that are increasing in popularity according to The Knot. Forty-eight percent of couples have expressed a yearning for these specific backdrops. Make the big day as spirited as possible with farm-inspired décor. Use haystacks draped with fabric for seating at the ceremony and add in some wood elements such as tree stumps. Decorate the trees with photos of the bride and groom, hang strings of sparkling lights, and cross your fingers for good weather. It may not be traditional, but in this setting, a BBQ would be ideal. Have a beef and veggie burger bar with plenty of side dishes to keep everyone happy. Wheelbarrow drink stations throughout the space will keep guests hydrated and add a rustic touch.

Fall

Although the summer months are still a popular season for sharing vows, fall has claimed the top spot. The Knot reported that fall weddings make up for 40 percent of all ceremonies, with September and October tied for the most slots. One of the reasons for fall’s increasing popularity may be that the season offers so many options for décor. Fall elements include pumpkins, squash, pine cones, twigs, foliage and more. All of these décor items can be found for free, or at minimal cost.  The weather can be unpredictable in this season, so the key to a successful fall wedding is to ensure everyone’s comfort. Line hay bales with plaid blankets for people to cozy up on, rent exterior heaters and add in a s’mores station. Speaking of sustenance, think apple cider and sangria, mashed potatoes and turkey, chicken skewers and salads, marshmallow and sweet potatoes, and of course, a candy table full of fall treats – candy apples, freshly baked pies, cheese and wine, candy corn and more.

Weddings don’t have to cost a fortune to be beautiful. With these simple backyard wedding themes, you can reduce your budget and put the savings toward your future family home.

To create high interest for your next event, you must get your guests excited well before the big day. However, multiple phone calls, text messages and emails can quickly overwhelm guests, especially when you’re contacting them across several different channels for the same reason. Put down the phone and retire the idea of traditional invitations. Ignite some excitement with these beautiful invitation ideas.

A musical invitation

For all the music lovers out there, you’ll want to send out musical invitations. An invitation that your guests can play is an excellent way to get them excited about your event. The music will also imprint a reminder in their brain.

You can purchase stick-on recordable music boxes for a couple dollars. Then, hold the button to record a song that fits the theme of your event, add it in your invitations and prepare for a rush of RSVPs.

Invitations as décor

One surefire way for all your guests to remember the date of your event is with invitations that double as décor. With careful craftsmanship, you can design a paper invitation for your guests to cut out, build and use as decoration in their home. There are various templates online, which you can print and personalize as well as origami templates that are also an excellent way to find unique cutout ideas to use for your decorative invitations. Every time they see the invite, they’re certain to remember the highly anticipated date. The key is to make sure the cutout craft is specific to the event theme.

Infographic invitations

Infographics are everywhere. You can find them on blogs, company websites, social media platforms, posters, and much more because they’re an excellent way to provide an abundance of information, eloquently and stylishly. Trade in the standard invitation and design an infographic that shares your story beautifully.  There are many websites that allow you to create beautiful infographics for free, such as Canva. The templates make it easy for you to drag and drop your event details.

Polaroid shot invitations

Polaroid cameras have come back from the past. Turn in your digital camera for a classic Polaroid and take some snaps to be used as invitations. Write the details on the bottom of the picture or include the information on a separate piece of elegant invitation paper.

Engraved invitations

Add some excitement to your invitation with engraving. It’s a unique and affordable way to change up the tone of a traditional invitation. All you need is an engraving tool and you’re ready to make a statement with your invites.

Recipe invitation

Design a recipe for your guests to cook up with this invitation idea. List the meal plan as the ingredients and provide directions to the event in the recipe instructions. You could also list the dress code, interesting things your guests can do to prepare for the party, or other pertinent details in the recipe instructions. This idea works great for themed parties and is certain to spark some excitement.

Scratch the date

Forget about “save the date”; it’s all about scratching the date. Purchase some metallic acrylic paint, combine it with a few drops of dishwashing soap and paint over the important parts of your invitation. Your guests will be excited and eager to reveal the time, date and location of your next event.

Put down the stock paper and infuse your invitations with creativity.