Beach Wedding Favors

by Episode Wedding on February 18, 2010

Beach weddings are extremely romantic which is why a lot of couples prefer to tie the knot in a sandy setting, near pristine waters.  If you opt for a beach wedding, there are details that need to be hammered out such as the location, entertainment, attire for the bride and groom as well as the entourage, and the beach wedding favors.

Why are Favors necessary?

While there is no such thing as Emily Post’s law on wedding etiquette especially for dealing with guests, it is a long standing tradition to present gifts to the guests right before the reception ends.

Wedding favors are not exactly necessities but they are highly encouraged because couples would want to thank their guests for celebrating that very special day with them.  This is why you have to make an effort to choose the best possible wedding favors you can find.

What are beach wedding favors?

If you are not too familiar with these things, there is no need to fret.  For starters, you have to know that beach wedding favors have a very distinct personality and charm.  They are not like your ordinary wedding favors which are usually very generic and plain.  These unique wedding favors are well thought of and designed in order to become great gift items.

The novelty is always there but these favors are chosen to represent the love of two people, incorporated with practicality.  Your guests have to be able to use the gifts one way or another so they can truly appreciate it.  The mark of a truly remarkable wedding favor is that it can be displayed as well as utilized.

Where to get beach wedding favors?

You cannot just get wedding favors anywhere, at least not the great ones.  If you are looking for the best items, you can never go wrong to consult online sources.  There is a really great wedding favors store out there that can provide you with all your beach wedding needs for a price that you can afford.

Choosing the favors

Here are some of the items for you to consider getting for your guests:

  • Starfish Design Bottle Stoppers
  • Island Design Save the Date Ref Magnets
  • Lighthouse shaped tea light holders
  • Dolphin cookie cutters
  • Starfish shaped cookie cutters
  • Sea Treasures Place Card frames
  • Starfish Design candles
  • Shell Design candle holders
  • Sailboat design candle holders
  • Starfish bookmarks
  • Beach chair shaped place card holders
  • Sailboat wine bottle stopper
  • Sand and shell place card frames
  • Flip flops luggage tags

As you can see, there are just so many things you can choose from and the best part is that they are highly affordable especially when you purchase by the bulk.

These items can be used by your guests for a very long time especially the place card holders.  They are very elegant and you do not have to blow a lot of money to have them for your guests.  Always choose high quality pieces to make sure that they will last a lifetime as your marriage would.

5 Best Bouquet Toss Songs of 2010

by Episode Wedding on February 9, 2010

The Bouquet Toss

Every single girl who attends a wedding is secretly hoping to catch the bouquet which, according to wedding tradition, means that they are next to walk down the aisle.  So many bridesmaids and maids of honor are hoping they would be the next blushing bride so it is important the bouquet toss goes well.

Another aspect of the wedding that you need to pay attention to is the accompanying song in the background.  As a bride, you have to wait for the right moment for the toss.  It is not just a simple throw and catch that will happen, especially for those who are waiting for that bunch of flowers that symbolizes eternal monogamy.

Here are the top 5 best bouquet toss songs of 2010 plus all the other options you might want to consider for your big day:

  1. 1. Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar
  2. 2. Single White Female – Chely Wright
  3. 3. Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend – Marilyn Monroe
  4. 4. Just A Girl – No Doubt
  5. 5. Man! I Feel Like A Woman! – Shania Twain

Other Great Songs For A Wedding

All I Wanna Do – Cheryl Crow

American Woman – Lenny Kravitz / The Guess Who

Any Man of Mine – Shania Twain

Can’t Hurry Love – Supremes

Cat Scratch Fever – Ted Nugent

Chapel of Love – Dixie Cups

Every Little Thing She Does – Police

Gimme Dat Ding – The Pipkins

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper

Girls, Girls, Girls – Motley Crew

Hands Up – Ottowan

Holiday – Madonna

Hot Girls In Love – Loverboy

I Will Survive – Gloria Gaynor

Independent Woman – Destiny’s Child

It’s Raining Men – The Weather Girls

Ladies Night – Kool and the Gang

Let’s Get Loud – Jennifer Lopez

Man! I Feel Like a Woman- Shania Twain

My Girl – Temptations

Pretty Woman – Roy Orbison

Respect – Aretha Franklin

Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting – Elton John

She’s A Beauty – The Tubes

She’s a Lady (remix) – Tom Jones

So Many Men, So Little Time – Miquel Brown

Texas Women – Hank Williams, Jr.

That Girl – Maxi Priest

Theme from Rocky – Ray Conti

Tip Toe through the Tulips – Tiny Tim

Uptown Girl – Billy Joel

Wannabe – Spice Girls

Want Ads (Wanted, Young Man Single and Free) – Honey Cone

What a Girl Wants – Christina Aguilera

Wild Women Do – Natalie Cole

Wishin’ and Hopin’ – Ani DeFranco

Keep in mind that you are looking to give your single female guests a single great and hopeful moment when they can just feel special.

Build up on the moment and keep the anticipation high to make everyone excited.  Usually, the bouquet toss is done before the end of the reception and right before the garter toss so you the songs played on the background have to be as romantic as possible.

However, you can also go with another approach, if your single friends are not into that romantic feel at all.  Wait for the right time for the toss and keep your poise at all times.

Wedding Songs

How to Save $2,000 or More on Your Wedding

by Episode Wedding on February 6, 2010

Money is a very precious commodity these days which is why prudence in spending is very important especially when planning for your wedding day.  The first thing you need to set a budget for the entire event.  You have to start planning for the wedding with this fact in mind: you only have this much money to spend and you cannot afford anything beyond that limit.

A lot of couples go into debt very early in their married life because they had a very lavish wedding.  If your goal is to save somewhere in the neighbourhood of $2000 or more, you have to learn which corners to cut and how.

Here are some very useful tips that will come in handy when you are planning the most special day of your life:

  • Go for a small and dignified event. It is no secret that you would want to have all your friends and family to celebrate with you but you should also note that the more people you invite, the more money you need to spend on the reception.  25-50 people will be sufficient.
  • Rent a Tux and Choose a Less Extravagant Wedding Gown. You are only going to wear them once so there is really no need to buy a tux and have a designer wedding gown.  Just find something that is comfortable and appropriate for the event.
  • Find Inexpensive Wedding Favors.
  • Let the Bridesmaid and Groomsmen Pick Their Own Attire. One of the best ways to cut back on your wedding expenses is to let the entourage pick their own dresses and tuxedoes.  Do not be embarrassed to ask them to pay for their own attires since they are going to keep them anyway.  This way, they will be as comfortable as they can be with their own choice of wardrobe.  However, it would be advisable to still have a certain standard that they have to abide by as regards the length, color and the cut so that there is still a little semblance of uniformity. 
  • Forgo the Wedding Planner. If you are having a small wedding, you will not have any need for a wedding coordinator.  Instead, you can plan the entire event yourself with the help of your future spouse.  This way you can save a lot of money on professional fees and you can personally oversee the progress of the planning stage.
  • Forget the Buffet. Stick to a sit down dinner because you will end up paying a lot less.  Most couples have a misconception about this setting because they think that formal sit down meals are more expensive.  The truth is, you will save a lot more because you can control the sizes or portions of each course.  Ideally, you should have one appetizer, two entrees, and one dessert for the reception. 
  • No Open Bars. If you want your guests to enjoy a little bit of alcohol, you can still let them by allocating 2 bottles of wine for each table.  A fine California red will go well with almost any dish.

Another great way to save money is to price shop for the following: Wedding Party Gifts (including bridesmaid gifts and groomsmen gifts), Bridal Shower Favors, and Wedding Favors.

Top Unity Candle Songs for 2010

by Episode Wedding on February 4, 2010

The lighting of the Unity Candle is a treasured wedding ceremony that is most popular in the United States.  It is the part right after the vows where the couple will light the unity candle using previously lit taper candles.

This is a much beloved wedding tradition as it represents the undying fire of love that exists between husband and wife.  Along with the ceremonial candle lighting is the accompanying song which you have to choose.

Choosing the Songs For A Wedding

You might not be familiar with what is appropriate for the ceremony which is why you will need as much guidance as you can get.  You can go two ways: either pick out a popular song of any famous singer or look for records that are specifically intended for weddings.

Here are the Top Unity Candle Songs for 2010 from some of the most popular balladeers, bands, and contemporary artists of all time:

Let it be by the Beatles

The wedding song by Kenny G (instrumental is preferred)

One hand, one heart from the West Side Story

Give me Forever by John Tesh

Keeper of the Stars by Tracy Byrd

Always by Atlantic Starr

From this moment by Shania Twain

Amazing Grace by Lari White

I do Cherish You by 98 Degrees

You light up my life by Leann Rimes

I will be here by Steven Curtis Chapman

When you say nothing at all by Ronan Keating

Nothing else matters by Metallica

Everything I do by Bryan Adams

When you love someone by Bryan Adams

There are also other songs which are composed and recorded by independent artists whose genre is wedding songs.  There are CDs of these compositions that you can purchase online.  It really depends on what you want the feel of the occasion and the ceremony to be.

It does not have to be too emotional, that song you will pick for the lighting of the unity candle.  In fact, it can be as crazy or wacky as you want it to be as long as you are both cool with it as well as your guests.

Some unorthodox weddings have very peculiar features such as the very casual music selection that sometimes even include rap, jazz, classic, etc.

Since it is your wedding, you can do pretty much whatever you want.

You might also want to consider instrumentals for the unity candle lighting.  The accompaniment does not necessarily have to include vocals so you can get away with just keyboards or violin or any other type of instrument.

Remember that effect is very important in wedding songs.  You would certainly want to remember a lot of moments from your big day and this is one of the ways by which you will get that giddy feeling when you look back on it.

Sit down and listen to some of the suggested on tunes and also look up others that you might want to consider for the ceremony.  You can also burn a copy of the musical selection and turn it into personalized wedding favors for the guests.

Wedding Favors

Asian Wedding Favors

by Episode Wedding on February 4, 2010

Asian themed weddings are very popular these days.  Aside from the fact that Asian heritage is extremely interesting, there are so many other advantages to having this theme for a wedding or any other type of event for that matter.

If you have decided to go for an oriental themed wedding, you will have a need for Asian wedding favors as well.  Do not worry about how you will look for them because the answers are right at your fingertips.

What every bride and groom has to deal with when they decide to get hitched is the fact that there are just so many things to prepare for: the reception, attire, location, food, etc.  Now, what you can do is start with the big things and complete the little things such as the wedding favors as you go. Once you get the large things in order, you can concentrate on the smaller and less complicated details.

When it comes to searching for Asian Wedding Favors, the internet is the best source of information and actual gift items.  One of the things that you have to remember is that there are so many favors you can choose from but it all boils down to what you really want and what you can afford.

If you are in need of suggestions, here are some of the items you can consider as gifts for the attendees:

  • Cherry Blossom Lip Balms
  • Personalized theme lip balms
  • Cherry Blossom Square Labels
  • Personalized Hand Creams
  • Traditional Double Happiness Candles with Holders
  • “double happiness” Asian Themed Boxes
  • Bamboo Place Card Holders
  • Elegant chrome bottle stoppers
  • Cherry Blossoms Frosted Glass Coasters
  • Natural Bamboo Coasters
  • Cherry Blossoms Mini Pillar Candles
  • Cherry Blossoms Vellum Wine Glass Shade
  • Double happiness Keepsake Candles
  • Asian Love Glass Coasters (red)
  • Silver Finish Elephant Place Card Holders
  • Sandalwood Fans (personalized/monogrammed)
  • Luminous Black Mini Lantern Tea Light Holder
  • Lucky Elephant Antique Ivory Finish Tea Light Holder

One of the most spectacular features of Asian wedding favors is that they are very diverse.  You can choose to either go elegant and classy or casual and practical.  A lot of couples prefer to give away these types of gifts because they are generally eco-friendly and very affordable.

These items are available for sale online and the key is finding the right wedding favors store where you can get the best price for high quality gift items.

Wedding Favor Shopping

Always keep in mind that quality always trumps price.  This does not mean that you have to overspend for a nice set of wedding favors.  It only suggests that you have to look around and compare before making any purchases.

If you want the most fabulous wedding favors you can find, you have to start browsing only the top online wedding favors stores now.  You will be amazed as to how many possible items you can give your guests and how much use they can get out of it for a very long time.

Choosing the Perfect (and Affordable) Dress

by Episode Wedding on February 4, 2010

Every little girl dreams of that day when she would wear that perfect white dress and walking down the aisle to say her I-dos.  When one becomes a full blown bride though, there are certain things that change such as the fact that now she has to consider not just personal taste, but financial capacity as well.

The truth that every bride today has to know is that there is no single perfect dress.  In fact, there are several perfect dresses that would fit them like a glove and would not cost too much.

Here are some guidelines that will help you decide which wedding dress to wear on the big day:

Keep An Open Mind – While there is no harm in having an idea as to what kind of wedding dress you want to wear, setting you heart to just one too soon would limit the possibilities for you.  There are many other wedding dresses that might prove to be better for you than the one you have been envisioning yourself in for the longest time.

Shop Around First – You cannot afford to be an impulse buyer when it comes to your wedding dress.  Never buy the very first dress you see just because it fits you and it’s on sale.  You owe it to yourself to look around first and see what else is out there.  Brides are known for their indecisiveness and in this case, it might actually work to your advantage, at least for the time being.

Cost Comparison is a Must. If you are working on a shoestring wedding budget, it is very important that you set a price ceiling for the wedding dress and make a thorough cost comparison to find out which one is most affordable. This also applies for other things like your wedding favors.

Design Your Own Gown. If you happen to have a talent in sketching, you might want to consider designing your own wedding gown.  You can have exactly your type of dress which is not off the rack. However, you will save a lot of money because you won’t have to hire a designer.  Choose a comfortable and affordable fabric and send your design to the dress makers along with your measurements.

Go Vintage Wedding Dress Hunting. While most brides like to have new wedding dresses for that very special occasion, there is absolutely nothing wrong with rummaging through the vintage wedding dress stores where you can actually find something fabulous for a fraction of the cost.  The key is to take your time looking because somewhere in those vintage stores is your perfect wedding dress that will fit you perfectly.  You can have it dry cleaned afterward which would make it perfect bridal attire come the big day.

If you want to find the best wedding dress which will make you feel like the most special woman in the world without spending too much money, you need a lot of patience and a little creativity.

Cutting corners does not necessarily mean settling for whatever is cheap.  It just means that you have to think practical so that you will have enough money left after the wedding.

After shopping for and finding your wedding dress, start shopping for your wedding favors and bridal shower favors.

Most Popular Wedding Flowers for 2010

by Episode Wedding on January 22, 2010

You can never have a wedding without flowers.  Even if you decide to elope and fly to Vegas for a quickie wedding, you will still encounter flowers at one point or another.  Regardless of whether you are going for an all out wedding or a modest event where only family and closest friends will attend, you will have to spring for some flowers.

Here are some helpful tips for you to decide which ones will be most appropriate for your big day.

Most Popular Wedding Flowers for 2010

  • White, Pink, and Yellow Roses – This trio is a real winner for bouquets, centerpieces, and even a headdress for the bride.  They are relatively less costly as compared to other wedding flowers but they still radiate the beauty and happiness which is the theme of the day.
  • Blue and Yellow Tulips – One of the greatest selling points of this flower is that it does not wither easily.  Another is that whatever color it comes in, it exudes the very definition of elegance and class, which is rather fitting since it costs an arm and a leg.  If you are going to use tulips for the centerpiece, make sure you cut the stem in half to make sure that they will not be too tall when placed on the table.  It is ostentatious to have very tall flowers for centerpieces.
  • Peonies - These flowers exude modesty and good intentions which would make them perfect for bouquets.  You can also pair them with fragrant white lilies to make a great centerpiece.
  • Orchids - These things can be expensive but they sure have that exotic touch that would stand out just enough to compliment the bride’s radiating beauty on the big day.
  • Hydrangeas - These would make excellent decorations for the reception hall as well as the archway in the ceremonial hall.  Pink and white ones will be perfect to accent an otherwise dull wall.
  • Calla Lilies – These beautiful flowers will always be a top choice for weddings, no matter what the year! Better yet, you can find calla lily wedding favors to compliment your theme.

Choosing Wedding Flowers

When you choose flowers for your big day, there are only three things to need to remember:

  1. You can only spend so much.
  2. The flowers should be ordered months in advanced through the florist.
  3. Consider the location of the wedding.

It is very important that you have already settled on a theme and a location for the wedding before you even looking at flower samples.  If you are having a garden wedding, you would probably not need too many flowers in the first place.  Same principles apply to beach weddings as well.

If you have a tight budget, make sure that you choose flowers within your price range. Otherwise you will just end up frustrated and disappointed.  Talk to your florist about your requirements and your price ceiling so he/she can work it out with you.

Make certain that the flowers are delivered no earlier than 24 hours before the wedding.  Any sooner than that and you will run the risk of having withered flowers on your wedding, something that is not very pleasant or practical.

Wedding Favors

Fabulous Wedding Cake Ideas for 2010

by Episode Wedding on January 20, 2010

It has been said that cake is the glue of the wedding and as such, it has to be something that is really special.  For the year 2010, you will notice that wedding cakes have really evolved into something so much more than a dessert or reception ornament.

Once you have settled on the menu for the wedding, you must concentrate on choosing which cake you want to have for the wedding.

Popular Trends of 2010

Red Velvet Cake – This is an old time favorite that never goes out of style or out of taste.  When it comes to good classic sweetness, the red velvet cake always delivers.  These days though, some cake designers and bakers are inclined to put a little twist to this scrumptious dessert such as putting less structure on the layers to make it look more fun and whimsical.  You see, cakes are not only there to be eaten, they are also meant to be visually appreciated.

Chocolate Fudge Cake Topped with Butter Cream and Whipped Cream Frosting – Speaking of sweet love, this cake is something that everyone will love.  The combined frosting makes a heavy delight on top of another delight which is chocolate. The upside is that this cake is actually one of the most practical choices there is especially if you are going for a very simple design.  If you want to dress up the cake, you can also opt to have sugar daffodils as toppers instead of the classic little bride and groom.

Seashell Wedding Cakes with Fondant Icing – If you are having a beach themed wedding, this would be the perfect cake.  It can be any size but the general imagery is that it is shaped like a seashell.  The color also has to be seashell-like to get the full effect.  For more flair, edible pearls can be added on top of the cake.

Beach Wedding Favors

Butter Cream Wedding Cakes – For most brides and grooms today, the expenses of a wedding, even a simple one, can be daunting which is why this type of cake is a very popular choice.  Compared to fondant cakes, butter cream cakes are less costly and some even like the down to earth sweetness of the latter.

Mini Cakes – A lot of couples would like their guests to have something to bring home after the party which led to the idea of mini cakes.  These cakes are the miniature version of the big one that is exclusively for the bride and groom.  Couples choose this for their wedding in order to preserve their wedding cake while still being able to share it with everyone else at the reception.  This might prove to be costly but it can be really a classy touch.  Another advantage of this is that the cakes can double as wedding souvenirs.

Another great idea is to match the cake up with your wedding favors. Whatever type of cake you choose, the important thing is that it suits your budget, it tastes great, and it looks stunning on the wedding photos.

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