Not So Charming Price Tags- Getting Married in Charm City

According to the Knot.com Baltimore is number 14 out of the 20 most expensive areas to get married!  Worse yet, our neighbors- Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland are number 11!  The Knot surveyed 19,000 couples married in 2010.  You can read the full report here.  But don't pack up that wedding gown and take the ceremony on the road just yet!  Here are some tips to save some money:

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1.  Choose your date wisely.  Many venues off discounts for “off-months.”  Also, chose any day other than Saturday, and you automatically save money!  Consider having a day-time event or a cocktail ceremony instead of dinner.  Serving guests lunch or hor d'oeuvres is a considerable price difference.  If an evening ceremony is a “must,” consider a buffet.
 
2.  Limit the professional photography.  Look at your photographers smaller packages and make a list of your “must have” shots.  Then think about limiting your time with the photographer to save more money.  For example, do you really need professional shots of you getting ready?  The photographer could arrive just before the ceremony.  And cut the cake early so that the photographer can leave.  You can always supply your guests with disposable cameras for candid photos.  Now that most everyone is using a digital camera, you are likely to be bombarded with candids from guests via email and facebook.  

 
3.  Consider a pre-owned dress.  Designer wedding gowns can cost a small fortune these days.  Often you can find near-perfect condition gowns for less than half the cost of a new dress.  Once you find a style you like, scour upscale consignment stores and the internet.  Sites like preownedweddingdresses.com and ebay.com have a great selection and often the dresses were never worn!

 
4.  DIY the flowers.  Enlist some creative friends and family members to help you with your bouquet and centerpieces.  There are many step-by-step instructions online to help you.  The more simple the arrangement the better.  You can buy flowers in bulk from your local flower market, costco.com or theflowerexchange.com.  Remember it never hurts to ask if a vendor can do better on a price.  You’ll be surprised how often people are willing to work with you.  Try to stay flexible, compromise on things that are less important to save your money for what counts.  Weddings are a celebration and should be a testament to the relationships in your lives, not your wealth.

Carnation-me-beautiful

So everyone thinks, "Carnations, how tacky?"  I remember in a "Sex in the City" episode, Charlotte and Carrie agree that a man bringing carnations to a first date is a "deal-breaker."  But I have found some beautiful arrangements of carnations!  Bonus- they don't cost much and they come in every color possible!

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Better yet, stacking them together doesn't take much creativity.  Therefor the DIY bride is in luck!  Not only are these flowers less expensive, they are easy to handle on your own.  Here are step by step instructions from Eddie Ross on how to make this arrangement:

A beautiful centerpiece for just about 25 bucks, including the vase!  A good source for wholesale flowers is The Flower Exchange.

Real Inspiration: Ashlea & Keith

Ashlea and Keith got married last spring at Grey Rock Mansion, located just outside of Baltimore in Pikesville, MD.  Their photographer, Perskie’s Photography, caught some great pictures of the happy couple's wedding. 

 

Ashlea's gown was designed by Da Vinci.  You can find this line at several local retailers.  Her shoes came from Zappos and the rings came from Kay Jewelers. 

The bridesmaids dresses, by B2, came from Francesca's Bridal Salon.  I love the contrast of black bridesmaids dresses with red and white flowers!  I also love black dresses, the girls will definitely get a lot more wear out of them!  Plus, black is flattering on everyone.  The beautiful flower bouquets came from Flower Expressions of Perry Hall.

One way to save money (and have more people be a part of your wedding) is to get friends to help out in ways that come natural to them.  Have a friend good with arranging flowers?  Making invitations as a hobby?  Why not enlist their help?  Ashlea had her talented mother make the centerpieces.  She also had a friend make the programs.  And she borrowed the cute lanterns from a friend!  

 

Congratulations Ashlea and Keith!

Fabric Flowers

A great idea for unique centerpieces and bouquets- fabric flowers!  Katie over at Chellé Paperie is one crafty lady!  She makes amazing custom invitations AND sews some amazing crafts with her business Churchtown Chapeau Co.

Check out her latest creations: custom linen bridesmaid blooms.

 

The First Sign of Spring

Daffodils!  They're popping up all over Baltimore despite our freakishly cold weather!  Every time I walk out my front door they remind me...Spring is here!  So if you're having a spring wedding in Charm City, why not feature this classic spring flower?

Daffodils, also known in the South as jonquils, make great centerpieces.  They're also native to North America and are grown locally.  Using them in your wedding instead of importing other flowers reduces your carbon footprint, costs less, and gives your wedding the spirit of spring in Baltimore!

Keep the theme going.  You can order these personalized stamps at zazzle.com.  Mail out your save the dates or invitations with daffodil stamps!

Daffodils can also be mixed with other flowers for bouquets. Remember daffodils come in different sizes and colors, including white.

Lately I have seen a lot of fresh flowers on cakes and I love it!  However, Daffodils are toxic, so you don't want them around your food.  Instead use icing to create a sugar garden on your cake.

As your wedding favor you can send your guests home with a daffodil plant.  Every year they will think of you as it blooms!

Photos:  Centerpiece 1, Centerpiece 2, Bouquet 1, Bouquet 2, Bouquet 3, Daffodil Boutonniere, Cake, Daffodil Favor

Floral Class

The Floral Studio, one of my favorite vendors, is hosting flower arranging classes!  How much fun would it be to get your bridal party together and have a private class?  While sipping on wine students learn basic skills, such as prepping flowers of various varieties.  By the end of class you will have a beautiful arrangement to take home!

Call 410-321-0606 to schedule a class!