Hyacinth Bulb Centerpiece

I like this Hyacinth Bulb Centerpiece as shown on Martha Stewart Weddings

Apparently, bulbs generally cost less than cut flowers. Plus, the  centerpieces can be made ahead by pouring a layer of small stones into a clear vase, and placing the rinsed bulbs in the stones so that the stems stand upright. A few days later. the bulbs will bloom. Their tip is to use warm water to open the petals, or cold water to keep them from opening too fast.

Add only enough to cover the roots, not the bulb.

Read more at Marthastewartweddings.com: Wedding Flowers by Color – Martha Stewart Weddings

The Budget - Round 2

When I first got engaged (4 months ago) I anticipated a budget of $5,000, but my future husband helped me realize that 5K just isn't realistic in the Bay Area (California) with our expectations. So after finding our perfect venue that cost $5,000 alone (completely killing my original budget on just the site fee), I've estimated $15,000 as a more obtainable budget. I'm budgeting another $5,000 for food and beverages, $2,000 for photography (the one area that I wish I had a bigger budget), $1,000 for rentals (tables, chairs, dishes, etc.), $500 for gratuities, $300 for gifts/favors, $200 for DIY flowers (we're getting married outdoors with views of the bay/beach), $250 for invitations and our website, $250 for guest transportation, $250 for the officiant, and about $250 for miscellaneous stuff.

I guess I should also say that we are paying for the wedding. We are both older and well beyond getting assistance from our family (even if it was available). Plus, I like having full control of all of the decisions.

I should also say that I am not counting our rings or our attire in this budget. Frankly my ring just blows it all to hell and even though I saved a bundle on my dress, I think our attire is more of an individual choice than a wedding budget item.

The Dress

I found the dress. It's perfect for our outdoor beach/bay view wedding. I can't believe I found it after less than 4 months of engagement and 4 leisurely visits (with no appointment) to bridal shops. I still have 14 months to go before the wedding and I told myself that I wouldn't buy something too soon because I wanted to give myself plenty of time to find the perfect (and affordable) dress. But, just like the venue which we found less than 2 months after our engagement, I knew I wasn't going to find a better bargain than this. $99. Yep! Stunning. And to top it off, I received a $100 credit towards accessories (which I still need to pick out). So even IF I found something more perfect than this, I basically got the dress for free after I cash in my credit. Whoo Hoo!

Casablanca (style #1829) 

I found the dress at Trudy's sample sale.

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P.S. No, that isn't me in the photos above. In fact, I'm a lot bigger on top than the model. Enough so that I seriously need to consider having the top altered with a little more material. The photo below is me in the dress. I want people to talk to me, not my cleavage. What would you do to to alter the top?

Asparagus Flowers

Love this idea for using asparagus as the stems in this DIY flower arrangement.

Source: Wedding Chicks

map

Source: One White Dress & Natty Michelle

I think I'm going to create a map like this for our guests. I imagine it won't be too difficult to do. I'll copy a snapshot from google maps, then sketch over it with transparent paper, color in the beach and grass areas, outline the streets and write in their names, trace-out some wedding icons, and voila!

brooch bouquet

There's a gal  in Southern California who makes these. I'm thinking of asking friends to donate (or buy as a bridal shower gift) flower brooches in our wedding colors (yet to be determined).

Here's a photo from Amanda Heer's website:

Wedding Dress Giveaway

Bonny Bridal is giving away a wedding dress. I found out about just in time for their June 30th deadline. You can checkout their website by clicking on the button on the top right corner of my blog.