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Unique Wedding Ideas: Have fun, save money!

Just because you live in one city does not mean you have to have your wedding there. Destination weddings are very popular. Explore your state for options for wedding locations. Go on weekend drives and look for old missions, old bed and breakfast inns, old movie sets, train stations, historical homes and sculpture gardens. Besides, you never know what special meanings and touches can evolve as they did for this couple.

This couple just got married in California. When wedding planning, they took fun weekend trips exploring the state for unique wedding venues. They drove 2 hours from where they lived and picked an historic old mission church established in the 1800's for the wedding venue. It had taken centuries for man and nature to transform this beautiful unique setting. Massive old wooden doors swung wide to reveal the magic. A decorator could not have transformed a conventional church hall to capture the true feel of this kind of arched awe and restored charm. The old mission’s adobe and brick walls gave a Tuscan feel as priceless religious figures contained in carved vignettes and fragile frames quietly gestured. You could imagine the early Indians still out in the fields gathering berries or fighting soldiers. A step out the side door near the altar lead to a wedding photographer's dream. The lush courtyard packed with flowers was rooted with ancient trees. Of course, the ultimate crowning touch is the old mission bell towering above.

A special meaning did evolve at this wonderful wedding venue, the Mission, Santa Ines, which was named after Saint Agnes. Just before the wedding, the bride’s grandmother had fallen. Surgery prevented her from flying to California for her granddaughter’s wedding. But she was there in spirit. Her name is Agnes. Santa Ines Mission is in Solvang, California. After the wedding, the reception was a sit down dinner outdoors in a winery courtyard surrounded by mountains, rows of grapes and a refreshing slight chill from perfect mountain air.

A few of our friends are doing destination weddings out of their states. You can get some ideas at www.nopassportweddings.com.

Go forth and explore.

Gift Ideas For The Wedding Party

You are having a wedding therefore you will need bridesmaids gifts. Don't forget to shop the holiday sales months before you wedding for fantastic bargains. Remember, the closer it gets to the holidays there usually will be last minute deals and bargains. If you are having a June wedding, think about catching some of the Christmas and Valentine sales. Pearl earrings are a nice choice. If your budget is tight due to holiday shopping, see if the jeweler offers a lay-a-way plan or interest free payment plan if you have several months before the big day.

Ideas for the Bride, Mother of the Bride and Mother of the Groom

For a bride on a budget, search for a listing of consignment and thrift stores in your city and visit a few. Be sure they are in a safe area. Check out the ones in upscale parts of town as well as the typical neighborhoods. These stores are fun to shop at as you never know what treasures will be found. Some have quite a large selection of jewelry that can beat the local department store prices. Some also have weddng dresses, veils, shoes and other accessories. Why pay $80 for a pair of shoes if you may only wear those shoes once and they will be seen very little under some wedding gowns.. Visit consignment and thrift stores several different times of the day and week to try and catch new stock. Some thrift stores get very nice mother of the bride dresses with designer labels. The nicer stuff does not hang around long. I have seen designer dresses sell for $9.99 and shoes as low as $3 in Dallas, TX. I have seen very worn shoes in a thrift store in Santa Monica, Ca., selling for $20 up and much higher in London, England.

Need a tuxedo or tux shirt, shoes and hat?

If you are not renting a tux consider consignment stores, thrift stores and even going to church rummage sales. Watch the garage sale section of the paper for some of the larger churches in expensive neighborhoods to have their yearly rummage sales. Get there early. They usually have a big selection of nice clothing and designer shoes. Chances are these are at the most one or two seasons past and have been worn very little.

Tuxedo rental places occassionally clean out for new stock in large volumes and donate very nice tuxedos, shirts, shoes and hats to thrift stores. It would be possible to fit several people in the same style. I have seen beautiful tuxes for $12. Of course, if you are in Santa Monica, they are going to be pricier.